She Stole My Heart (being edited)
by Nothing You Can Prove
Summary: Chloe has been out of action for 6 months. With bills looming, they have no choice but to get back out there and strut their stuff...even if their partner in crime is out of the picture. However, someone is about to enter into their life who may just steal their heart. (Pricefield/Amberpricefield later, non-binary Chloe)
1. A Story to Tell

**Hello everyone. I hope you're having an awesome day today.** **I am hella excited to announce this new story. This is the one I have been waiting for.** **This shall be an Amberpricefield fanfiction. I've wanted to try a polyamorous ship for a while now and this idea lends itself nicely. It will be more Pricefield at the start but it shall slowly evolve as we go.** **Max is such a dork and Chloe's smooth af in this (for now).**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 **Chapter One: A Story to Tell**

 **Chloe's POV - Chloe's Flat**

I sit there on my couch in my boxers and a baggy shirt, idly flicking through TV channels. There is the usual crap, the same mind numbing crap I have been watching non-stop for the past six months or so. A half empty beer can rests on the arm of the couch. It's been there for a couple of days, maybe longer, but I'm too lazy to get new one.

 _Hell, I'm not even sure I have an unopened one left._

I contemplate for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of drinking it.

 _Fuck it._

I grab the can and take a swig, my face contorting in disgust as the liquid pours down my throat. It causes me to cough a bit from the horrible aftertaste.

 _Not one of my finer moments._

I place the can on the floor, knowing full well that I will most likely go back to it at some point and continue watching TV. I glance over to the clock on the wall. I don't know why I bother, it stopped weeks ago and I haven't replaced the battery.

 _Guess I'll have to use my phone._

I pat down my gray pants, which are thrown over the back of the couch. There is a phone sized lump in the right hand pocket. I reach in, half expecting to be bitten by something, and take it out. I glance down at the screen.

 **10:23 am**

 _Ok, it's time. You've been planning this for weeks. Everything will go fine, Chloe. How hard can it be?_

I ease myself off my couch, a cascade of takeaway containers and crumbs falling onto the floor as I get up.

 _I'll sort that out later… maybe._

I search around for the black duffle bag that contains my gear, finally managing to locate it under one of the many piles of dirty clothing scattered around my floor. I throw on some clothes from the precarious pile. My heart speeds up with anticipation as I sling the bag over my shoulder and I almost trip over an abandoned suitcase as I make my way out of the flat. I stare at the battered case for a while.

 _It's full of her stuff, I couldn't stand seeing it every day when I woke up, so I hid it away where I would have to. I always put off dealing with it. Maybe one day…_

I sigh as I exit my flat and walk down the stairs. The apprehension begins to flood my body.

 _This is no big deal, right? You've done this a thousand times before._

I clutch on tighter to the strap across my shoulder to calm myself down.

 _This is no different… except that you haven't done this in a long time._

I reach the bottom of the stairs and open the door to the outside world. My truck is parked on the curb. As I walk up to it, I see another ticket shoved behind the wiper. I grab it and rip it up, shoving the pieces into my pocket.

 _I didn't pay the last five you left, what makes you think this time is any different?_

I pull open the driver's side door and get in. I kick away the discarded fast food containers and other trash I've been accumulating ever since I got this truck. I place my hands on the wheel, taking a deep breath to try and calm my shattered nerves. A musty smell fills my nose, one of grease, cigarettes and damp.

 _Ugh, guess I haven't used the truck in a while._

I crack open a window to try and combat the offensive odor. My fingers tap on the steering wheel anxiously.

 _Ok, Chloe. You've got this. Yes, it's been a while. The last time was… was when she disappeared. You've been here, waiting, hoping she would turn up, but she hasn't._

My heart sinks at this thought and my nerves begin to get the better of me.

 _Can I even do this without her? I haven't before. What if I can't…?_

I sigh dejectedly.

 _What if?_

I shake my head decisively, waving away any thoughts of trepidation from my mind.

 _You can't afford to think like that now. You've been out of action for six months. She's gone. You can't just sit around moping. The bills don't pay themselves. Just focus on the task at hand._

I look down and see that I am gripping onto the steering wheel tight, my knuckles have turned white from the pressure.I release the wheel, reaching into my pocket and taking out the key and shove it in the ignition and turn. It takes a few tries, but eventually the truck splutters to life.

I find myself smiling, "Still hanging on in there I see. Just like me."

I fiddle around with the radio to take my mind off of things. Of course, it doesn't work, it hasn't for a long time. Eventually, I give up and make my way down the bustling street. I speed down the road, cutting a few cars up, which earns me a few choice words from my fellow drivers. Buildings rush past me as I drive.

 _I've never been the most careful driver, but old habits die hard. I've got to be extra careful today. I don't want to get pulled over._

I ease up on the gas pedal a bit.

 _That should do it. Take it nice and steady._

I glance out of my window to give me something to focus on seeing as how music is off the table. Stores loom over the crowded streets, casting their long shadows on the pavement. People rush down the streets with purpose, not even taking a moment to acknowledge each other's existence.

 _No-one has time for anything anymore, not even the people around them. You should treasure the moments you have with your loved ones. I learnt that too late._

My mind takes me back to a time when I was very much the same, too wrapped up in everything that could happen to really enjoy what was happening. A face comes into view. A girl with long blonde hair and alive hazel eyes.

 _There is no point in sitting around and feeling sorry for myself. There is plenty of time to do that later. I have more important things to think about right now, like not getting killed. That's always a good thing to prioritize._

I sigh as I pull onto the curb haphazardly. I put my truck into park and stare up at the large brick building looming over me, taking a deep shuddery breath.

 _Here we go._

I grab the bag and my gun. I check it's loaded.

 _I hope I won't have to use it, but you can never be too sure. Things can go south quickly when you aren't prepared._

I glance at the girl in the car mirror. Her once bright blue eyes look sunken, with dark circles underneath them. Her skin is paler than before due to the lack of sunlight she has been getting sat in her flat. Her face is chubbier than before, which makes sense given all the junk food she has been consuming and the comparatively little amount of exercise she has been getting. Her hair is kind of gross, having not been washed for a couple days… or was it weeks? Her once blue hair has now been almost completely replaced with strawberry blonde strands. It's not been dyed in a long time.

 _I really need to get my life sorted._

I reach around into the back, grabbing a beanie and scarf and put them on, leaving only my eyes uncovered.

 _I can't be dealing with that balaclava shit. What's the point of doing this if you don't look badass? Appearance is everything._

Satisfied, I get out of the car and make my way to the door of the bank.

 _Just play it cool. No-one needs to get hurt if you play it right._

I enter the bank and start my first heist in over six months, "Nobody move! Get down on the floor!"

Everyone turns towards my voice, their eyes growing fearful when they realise what is happening. A guard walks over to me, his gun drawn. He tries to sound calm, confident and in control, but it is obvious that he is scared shitless, "Fr-freeze. P-put the gun down!" I can see him shaking slightly, his voice wavers.

 _This is probably his first heist. Sweet. He's trying so hard._

I walk closer to him. His grip on his gun tightens, the panic in his voice increasing, "I…I said…"

Before he has a chance to continue, I knee him in the balls. He recoils and falls to the floor, groaning in pain. I grab his gun and pocket it, removing any chance of it becoming an issue later down the line. I unzip my bag to find some handcuffs, then drag him over to a table and cuff him to a leg.

 _I almost feel sorry for him. I can tell he's not had much experience in this kind of situation. I didn't want him firing randomly and hitting someone. I bet he's never even shot a gun under pressure. It would be a disaster. I've had my fair share of stray bullet scars._

My fingers brush over my top which hides numerous scars, too many to count. It comes with the job. I lean in close to him, putting on the most threatening tone I can muster, "Amateur. I eat guys like you for breakfast."

He looks up fearfully at me.

 _Damn, I never get tired of that look when someone is completely at your mercy. It makes this all worthwhile._

I get up and hold my gun out, sweeping the room to ensure no-one makes a run for it. That's when things get sloppy, "Again, everyone get down on the floor, hands on your head. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Everyone slowly sinks to the floor, obeying my command. Once they have done this, I cockily strut towards the desk.

 _Oh how I missed this. The adrenaline, the anticipation…_

"Now, nobody move. This is no time for heroics. It'll only get you killed, it's not worth it. You're lucky that's not my thing. I would love for you all to get out of here injury free," I place my bag on the counter, motioning to the woman behind the counter, "Fill her up."

She nervously places money in the bag, her hands shaking slightly as she does so. Every so often she glances up at me. When she catches my gaze, she looks back down, scared of what I will do to her.

 _I should reassure her._

My eyes wander down to the name tag pinned to her chest… and maybe can't help but have a look at her tits while I'm at it.

 _Hey, it's been a while. Don't judge me._

I pull the scarf to my neck and adopt my most suave voice, "There's no need to be worried, Juliet. I wouldn't hurt anyone as pretty as you."

She blushes slightly.

 _Hey, I'm not a total monster. These people don't want any trouble. She's being compliant enough. There's no need to cause more chaos than necessary. Believe me, I am more than ready to cause havoc if needed._

She hands over the bag. As she passes it to me, I lean over kiss her on the cheek, "Thanks babe."

Her eyes widen in shock, her mouth slightly open and her brow furrowed in confusion at my action. I wink and offer her one of my most charming smiles. She reaches up and touches her cheek where I kissed her. I pull the scarf back up and turn around, taking this moment to quickly scan the money.

 _Nice. This should cover the bills for this month…_

I glance back at Juliet, who continues to stare at me in disbelief.

 _Maybe I should ask her what she's doing later..._

As I go to walk back and make my move, someone drops from the ceiling and almost lands on top of me. I manage to swerve out of the way at the last minute. I look around in confusion, trying to figure out where they are.

"What the…?"

Before me stands a girl. She's probably around my age. She wears an eye mask and a hat in order to obscure her identity, her small and lithe frame covered in dark clothing. She looks hella pissed, "Yo dude. What the fuck? I was here first."

 _Oh great. A robber wannabe. I've dealt with enough of these in my time._

I crack my knuckles, preparing myself for a fight if need be, "Sorry buddy, I've had this planned for weeks. Now, move along."

I motion for her to step aside, but she folds her arms and refuses to move, "No way."

 _I don't have time for this._

I take a step towards the girl, determined not to back down from the challenge. I draw myself to my fullest height. She's a couple inches or so shorter than me.

"Look kid…"

The girl stares at me for a second, the intensity of her gaze pins me to the spot and causes my words to catch in my throat. After a moment, her eyes widen in realization and a wide grin forms on her face, "Wait… are you…?" she slouches her bag off her shoulder, rummaging around in it and mumbling under her breath as she searches.

 _What is she doing?_

She pulls out a magazine and flips through the pages. I look around me. Everyone is still on the floor, but they look at me with a confused expression. I shrug at them in response.

 _You know about as much as I do._

I look over to Juliet, who waves when she sees me looking.

 _Looks like I have another fan._

I blow a kiss her way and she smiles coyly.

 _Chloe Price, Lady Killer._

I turn back to the girl, who has seemingly found the page she is looking for. She holds it up for me to see. I can see me, posed with an array of weapons, looking pretty badass if I do say so myself.

 _They did a good job on the promo._

"You're the Punk Pirate," her body tenses with excitement, almost shaking with joy.

 _Fangirl alert. It seems I have amassed quite a large fan base. I'm surprised anyone gives a shit anymore. It's been a while since I did anything._

I nod, offering my infamous lop-sided grin, "Yep that's me."

The girl squeals, a torrent of words tumbling from her lips, "Oh my god. I am such a big fan," she jumps up and down, clapping her hands excitedly and begins to speak at a million miles an hour, "I've watched all the police reports that mentioned you and collected all the newspaper articles too. I got all the underground super villain magazines that mentioned you in and I even managed to get one of those calendars with you as the September model. I can't believe this is happening. It's like a dream come true. I thought you had retired. I am so glad you haven't."

 _I had forgotten about that calendar. There is a huge market for super villain merchandise, surprisingly. It's a good way to get some slightly more legal forms of income._

She looks at me excitedly like a puppy waiting to go on its walk and holds out the magazine in my direction, "Can you sign the picture?"

I smirk, "Sure kiddo."

She rootles around in her bag and locates a pen. She passes it to me. I place the pen on the page and sign it.

 _It's been a while since I've signed anything. This brings back memories._

I hand it back over to the girl, her face lights up. She is mesmerized by the untidy scrawl I have added to her magazine. She hugs it close to her chest for a moment before placing it back carefully in her bag.

 _She's so damn cute._

She beams at me, "Thanks so much."

I wink at her, "No problem."

Her body shakes with delight. She has the dorkiest smile on her face, "This is the best day of my life," she grins at me, "We could totally team up. That would be so awesome."

 _She is kind of adorable… wait, that shouldn't even factor in your decision. Get your head in the game. You know how this went last time._

I shake my head to come to my senses, "I… don't think so."

Her face falls, her gaze is pinned to the floor and she rubs her neck awkwardly, "Sorry, I get a bit carried away when I get excited. I've probably really freaked you out now. Some random crazy girl fangirling when you're in the middle of something… just ignore me," she laughs half-heartedly, a laugh that is forced.

 _That expression is breaking my heart. Oh… damn it. I can't resist. Fuck it._

"At least, not until you've proven yourself, that is. If you make it into the news, I'll consider it."

Her head snaps upwards, the downcast look now replaced with joy. She grabs hold of my hands and stares into my eyes solemnly, "I will. I'll do it. Just you watch."

The determination in her eyes makes me smile.

 _I feel like I've made a pact with the devil… but it is one I shall happily enter into._

"I'll be waiting. Give me your number, so I can contact you when I see you making the headlines."

She seems shocked at my suggestion, "Wait, you… you want my number?"

 _God damn it Chloe, what are you doing? I thought we agreed that we were going to go solo from now on. That way, it doesn't matter if things go wrong. They can't take people away from you if you're on your own._

Despite knowing all this, I find myself reaching into my pocket for the ripped up parking ticket, "Uh… yeah, unless you still use carrier pigeon."

She laughs at my pathetic joke as I pass her the paper and she scribbles down her number. She thrusts it eagerly in my direction when she has finished, "Here."

I take the scrap of paper from her, glancing down at her writing. It's much neater than mine, not that it is hard to achieve that.

 _I guess it can't hurt to have her on board. She might not even make it anyway. If she does, I can always use allies. God knows I'll need them._

I stash the piece of paper in my pocket.

 _We should get out of here._

I motion my head towards the door, "Right, now let's split before the cops get here."

The girl nods and before I have time to say anything else, she darts out the back into the darkness.

 _She's pretty quick. Maybe she will manage it._

Before I leave, I turn back to Juliet. I go over to her, pulling down my scarf and kissing her hand, "Goodbye my sweet Juliet. May our paths cross again."

I dramatically exit. The way you exit is always the most important for your image. When they interview her, she will certainly have a story to tell.

* * *

 **One week later**

A faint noise reaches my ears, one that causes me to stir. My eyes flicker open to reveal the image of the TV. There is some cheesy rom-com on I think. I shift, the empty food containers falling onto the floor.

 _I really need to stop doing this._

I stretch on the couch, my entire body clicking as I do so. I feel around on the floor for my phone and check the time.

 **9:14 am**

I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

 _I really should get a shower or something and change these clothes._

My stomach growls loudly and angrily.

 _Some food might be in order too._

I stand up, scratching my stomach as I cautiously step over the precariously balanced maze which is my floor. I hear something crunch under my foot, but don't have the courage to see what it is. I finally reach the small bathroom and fumble around for the light switch. My hand hits the switch, illuminating the room in a bright artificial light which hurts my eyes. I blink a few times, trying to adjust to the sudden intrusion of light. When I've finally gotten used to it, I look around. There isn't much here, a toilet sits to my immediate right and a sink opposite it. A dog-eared bathroom mat is placed in front of the shower bath, which has seen better days. I get undressed and approach the shower bath. I step inside and jab the button to get it going. Sometimes it gets stuck, like now. I try a few times before it comes loose. A cascade of cold water hits my skin, causing me to gasp from the shock.

 _Well done, Chloe. You forgot it takes a while to heat up._

I stand back to avoid the cold water. After a couple of minutes, the water heats up and I tentatively step underneath it again, the water running down my body. I grab one of the bottles from a shelf in the shower. I squeeze the bottle hard, trying to get the remainder of the shampoo out.

 _I need to get some more._

I lather up my hair, washing it thoroughly. My head has been feeling really itchy and gross recently. I grab another bottle from the shelf and rub it on myself. Once I have cleaned myself thoroughly, I shut off the water, step out of the shower and towel myself off. There are some semi clean clothes in here, at least the cleanest I will find in this dump. I hastily get changed and exit the bathroom.

 _I guess I could have a quick check on the news. It's not like I'm seeing if that girls made it. I haven't been checking every day for the past week or anything. I'm just curious about what's happened today…_

I go to the fridge and grab last night's leftovers and a beer, then slump back down on the couch and change the channel. A monotonous voice blares from the TV.

" **News just in. There has been a major robbery last night that has left police baffled."**

I focus on the report, turning up the volume and taking a sip from my beer.

" **We received a call early this morning from a civilian saying that a few items of jewelry had been stolen from their house. The estimated value of this was $10,000."**

I spit out my beer.

 _Did he say $10,000? Mad respect._

" **We are looking into the matter and urge everyone to be vigilant."**

 _I wonder…_

I grab my phone and stick my hand in my pocket.

 _Come on. Where is it? Aha!_

I locate the paper, it's a bit scrunched up but still readable, surprisingly and send a text to the number.

 **Chloe: Dude, was that you this morning?**

 **Unknown: Yep. You want proof?**

A few seconds later I get a picture. The girl is wearing all the jewelry around her neck. She sticks her tongue out and is cross-eyed. She is making peace signs with her fingers, rings cover them.

 _Could she be any more adorkable if she tried?_

I text her back.

 **Chloe: Ok. You're in. Meet me at the beach in 20 minutes. Don't be late.**

 **Unknown: See you there :)**

 **Chloe: NO EMOJI!**

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 **So, welcome to the super villain AU. MWA HA HA! I've had this idea for a while and it's so great to actually start writing it.** **I hope you enjoyed it and see you next time.**


	2. Relentless

**Welcome back guys, I'm finally ready to present the second chapter to you. Ta-dah. It took longer than expected due to essay writing (I am crying inside because of this).**

 **Enjoy**

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 **Chapter Two: Relentless**

 **Chloe's POV -** **Beach**

I pull up a little way from the beach, just sitting in my truck. I press my forehead against the glass of the driver's side window, staring out.

 _I can't believe I'm going to put myself through this again. What is wrong with me?_

I run my fingers tiredly through my hair. I could run now, go before I have the chance to fall too deep… but I don't.

 _It seems I never learn._

Despite knowing that this will probably end terribly, I get out and make my way down to the beach. When I get there, I see a figure standing there gazing out into the distance. The closer I get, the more I can make out. It's the girl from before. Her mid length brown hair swishes in the gentle breeze, something I didn't really see last time because of her hat. She is wearing a pale gray hoodie, blue jeans and black converses. A small bag is slung around her shoulder. She isn't paying attention to her surroundings in her almost trance like state. She doesn't appear to have seen me.

 _I can't miss this opportunity._

I creep up towards her, making sure I am as quiet as possible, then launch myself at her when I get close enough. She screams and tackles me to the floor with ease, pressing a pen knife to my throat, ready to end whoever snuck up on her. Her blue eyes are steely and threatening.

 _Whoa. She looks pretty scary… and kind of sexy. I'm digging this whole 'I'm going to kill you' look._

When she sees me, her face softens, the steeliness in her eyes replaced by confusion. I wave and offer a cheeky grin, "Hey babe. Nice to see you too."

The knife at my throat relaxes and is recoiled, "Sorry."

She offers me a hand up, which I take. Once on my feet, I stare at her. She rubs her temples and sighs, "I'm already fucking up."

I come closer to her, placing an arm around her shoulder. This action causes her to look over to me, one eyebrow raised questioningly, "Who says you're fucking up? You're doing fine, more than fine actually."

She gives me a skeptical look, "Really?"

I nod firmly, "Uh-huh."

She sighs in relief, her entire body relaxes as she does so.

 _She really was nervous, huh? If anything, I'm glad she was on guard. You don't want to be working with someone who reacts too late to things that happen._

"Besides…" I lean in and whisper in her ear, "…no-one as cute as you could ever fuck up."

She turns her head to face me and I offer her a charming smile.

"Well, g-good then," she stutters as an obvious blush begins to creep onto her cheeks, which tries to hide from me by looking away.

 _Score one for Chloe Price. Good to know my skills of seduction haven't worn off, unlike my fitness. Dude, I really need to get back into shape. Six months of lounging in front of the TV eating junk food was not a good move._

"Anyway, shall we get down to business?"

The girl clears her throat awkwardly, "S-sure."

A bench sits a little way away from where we are standing. It looks like it's about to fall apart any second, then again doesn't everything in Arcadia? We sit down on it, hoping that it holds. Thankfully it does. I take a second to appreciate the view before me. The shimmering waves gently lapping at the shore line, the salty sea air caressing my skin, the gulls squawking overhead…

 _As much as I want to blow this hellhole, I have to admit it's beautiful here._

Before I get too lost in the scene laid out in front of me, I turn to face the girl. She looks at me curiously, waiting for me to start this 'interview', "So, before we get down to actually doing shit, I have a few questions for you."

The girl nods and smiles, "Shoot."

 _I can tell she is excited for this. Her entire body is just poised and ready for this. I like enthusiasm._

"First off, I don't think I had the pleasure of knowing your name."

"It's Max Caulfield."

 _Max, huh?_

"Well, Miss Caulfield, you already know who I am, at least my nickname. I'm Price, Chloe Price. I would ask you however not to divulge my true identity to anyone. Not many know," I lean over, covering my hand with my mouth as if I am telling her my deepest darkest secret, "It's top secret."

She smiles gleefully at me, "Thanks for trusting me then."

I place my hands behind my head, sinking further into the bench, "Well, if we are going to work together, we need to trust each other, right?"

She nods in agreement, "Definitely."

 _Things seem to be going fine so far. At least, I haven't got the whole 'I'll shove a knife in your back while you sleep' vibe yet._

"Ok, next question. How did you get into the business, Max?"

Max's face drops slightly as she looks down to her wrist and plays with the bands on it.

 _Maybe it's a painful memory. I'd best not push it. We all have our demons._

"You don't have to answer that if it's too personal," I mention, "We all have our secrets we don't want to tell."

She shakes her head, waving away my concern, "No, it's ok. I'm fine," she takes a deep breath, "I haven't been at it that long on a serious scale to be honest. My family hit on some hard times financially when I was about thirteen. We moved from Arcadia to Seattle, my dad thought he could find better paid work."

Max shifts on the bench into a more comfortable position, "Seattle wasn't much better and it was more expensive. So, we moved back here eventually. I decided that I'd try to help anyway I could. I turned to more…unconventional methods of getting money, namely pick pocketing. I was getting pretty good at it. Anyway, I ended up crossing paths with a gang, apparently I had stolen from their big boss. They almost killed me because of it too. I have some interesting scars from that ordeal."

 _Scars… we all have them, some physical, some emotional… they never really disappear. They remind us of times we left ourselves too open, too vulnerable. Scars show us we have lived, loved and lost. Without them, we are blank canvasses always waiting for that first tentative brush stroke. If we are too scared to take chances, then when will our lives start? We shall forever remain blank canvasses. Scars make us who we are, make us stronger, make us more._

"Maybe you can show me them," her head snaps towards me, her eyes registering shock as I lean in closer, my breath tickling her ear, "Maybe we can… compare. I may even have some to rival yours... in places."

She audibly swallows, "Uh…"

Her cheeks redden at my insinuations. The laughter I have tried to keep back suddenly erupts. Max tilts her head to one side, a confused expression on her face due to my outburst. I wipe away tears from my eyes, taking deep breaths to steady myself, "Dude, oh man your face is a picture. I'm just fucking with you… unless you are interested."

 _It never hurts to try. Max is really cute and I haven't got some in forever. Under all that baggy clothing she's wearing I bet she has a great body. You kind of have to in this line of work._

My mind wanders, imagining my hands tracing her exposed skin, her breath warm on my neck, her lips against mine, my eyes roaming over her frame…

 _Lewd thoughts aside, what I really crave is some emotional connection with someone, even if it's just for a moment._

"M-maybe I am."

Her tentative words bring me out of my thoughts. For a moment I'm not sure I heard her correctly, but from the intensified blush on her cheeks, it's safe to assume that is what she said.

 _I did not expect that. It would appear this hipster geek isn't as shy as she seems._

She continues more anxiously, "W-where are yours?"

I grin mischievously and wink at her, "You can find out… later, if you want."

She swallows and licks her lips. Something seems to cross her mind at that moment, I see it in her eyes. I can't tell what exactly, but whatever it is causes Max to suddenly shake her head and quickly change the subject, "A-anyway, luckily I was saved. I was going to give it up, but we still needed money. I decided to aim higher. Less risk, more reward."

 _Everyone assumes that people turn to crime because they are 'evil' or whatever. That's how the movies portray it anyway. Sure, some people may be drawn to the idea of world domination, but for most it's more complex than that. It doesn't make it any less of a crime, but it would be nice for people to try to understand and maybe help before we get into these situations._

Max tilts her head to one side slightly, looking at me curiously, "How about you?"

 _I guess fair is fair. We do really need to establish trust if this has any chance of working. Without trust, someone will get hurt…or worse killed._

I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the inevitable sense of self-pity I will feel relaying my story. Max sits there patiently, waiting for me to share, "Our stories aren't too dissimilar. My dad died when I was fourteen. Soon after we ran into some serious financial trouble. My mom had to take on extra work to try and pay for everything. She tried so hard, but we were in a lot of debt. I started acting out and became a real handful. She re-married and let's just say step-douche and I don't get along well. I left, I thought I could make it on my own."

 _I really was stupid._

I still remember the day I left. I didn't even say goodbye. It was two in morning, I was laying on my bed feeling sorry for myself. Then I got the idea in my head that no-one would give a shit if I left, so I just packed a suitcase and went out through my window and that was it.

I sigh at my stupidity and continue, "It turns out that it's more difficult than that. I started shop lifting and stuff. I got cocky and tried to pickpocket this girl in broad daylight, and needless to say, it didn't go all too well. I thought that was it for me."

I can remember it like it was yesterday. She easily caught me and looked amused by my attempt. I was pissed to say the least.

"She told me I had potential and took me on, trained me up and we…" my words get caught in my throat and my eyes sting from holding back tears.

 _Man, this is harder than I thought._

I swallow, trying to stop the tears in my eyes from falling, "…we started to steal stuff together. It was good, for a while. Then she…disappeared and I was left on my own. That's why I've been out of commission for so long. I've been waiting for her… but she hasn't come back."

I exhale deeply and rub my face with my hands. Something touches my arm. I look up to see Max's anxious blue eyes staring back at me. She rubs my arm gently with her hand, "I'm sorry. That must have been tough."

Her voice is soft and tender. It soothes the aching pain I feel in my chest a little. I offer Max a small smile to show her I'm ok. My voice is a little hoarse, "Yeah."

 _I thought I was over this, but obviously not. I guess I've kind of been running away from this. I didn't want to accept that she's gone and is probably never coming back._

I stand up abruptly, clearing my throat and turn to Max, who is still sat on the bench, "Anyway, we shouldn't dwell on the past. We should be looking forward to our teaming up. I have an idea. In order to celebrate our partnership, allow me to buy you dinner."

Max's eyes sparkle with amusement and she smirks at me, "And what may I ask will this dinner be?"

 _I guess that's up to you to decide._

I shove my hands in my pockets, "Just a friendly meet up at my place, there is a nice little Chinese takeaway near my place. I would very much like to get to know you better if we are going to be working so… closely. No ulterior motives, unless you want there to be of course."

She laughs, "Well, how can I say no to that offer?"

I grab her hand and pull her along towards my truck, "Great, let's go."

* * *

 **Outside Chloe's Flat**

I turn the key in the door and try to push it open. When doesn't budge, I hit it in frustration, "Goddamn door. It keeps doing this," I wiggle the handle a few times, "Fuck this," I take a few steps back and ram into the door. Needless to say, it doesn't move. A dull ache enters my arm, "Ouch," I rub my shoulder and Max giggles, "Yeah, laugh at my pain, why don't you?"

She grins, "Step aside. I got this."

 _Oh really?_

I step aside and pass Max the key. She places it in the lock and I hear a click. She's locked the door.

 _What is she doing?_

She takes the handle and turns it, opening the door. She spins around to face me, a cheeky grin on her face, "You locked it, silly."

 _Way to make a fool of yourself, Chloe._

I rub the back of my neck, refusing to look Max in the eye, "I knew that."

Max laughs at my pathetic attempt to make an excuse and raises an eyebrow skeptically, "Sure you did."

I clear my throat, trying to compose myself and step inside my place. I turn to Max and spread my arms out, "Welcome to my domain."

I step aside to let her in and close the door behind me. My place is really small. I mean, you can literally piss and make a sandwich at the same time, if you wanted to.

 _Not that I've tried or anything… ok maybe I have once… or twice._

The wallpaper is yellowing and peeling, the carpet has a lot of unidentifiable stains, something I'd rather keep a mystery to be honest.

 _The place was going cheap. I think there was a murder or something in the room, or was it a drug deal? I can never remember which… well, whatever. Beggars can't be choosers. Besides, it kind of suits the line of work I'm in, and I pity the fool who comes back here and tries to kill me in my sleep. They wouldn't be the first, and they probably won't be the last. It's on the third floor anyway, so unless someone is a ninja, I think I'm safe. It's not much, but it's somewhere to lay low and sleep._

Beer cans and takeaway containers litter the floor, among some clothes and a graveyard of other various mystery objects. Some of my underwear is atop a precariously placed clothes pile.

 _Well, I guess she was probably going to see them sooner or later. If I have my way, hopefully sooner._

Max looks around, her mouth slightly open at the sight before her. When she finally composes herself, she places the take away bags on a rare empty space on the floor near the couch. Her eyes scan the area more thoroughly, taking in everything, "Dog, I thought my place was dirty."

I offer her a coy smile, "My place isn't the dirtiest thing about me."

She shakes her head, her face lighting up, "That was so bad."

I shrug as I glance around at the mess that is my place, "It got you smiling didn't it?"

 _Maybe I should have cleaned up a bit. It's been a while since I've had anyone over._

I grab a few of the fast food containers off of the floor and shove them in one of the many empty bags. I start to see a little bit of the carpet.

 _I'd kind of forgotten that I had a carpet to be honest._

I clear a space on the couch and sit down, my arms spread out on the top. Max stands there awkwardly, her hand holding her arm.

I grin at her, "Don't be shy. I don't bite… hard," I pat the space beside me, Max finally comes over and sits down. My fingertips gently brush against her shoulder, "Man, I'm hungry like the wolf," I grab the bags from the floor and take out the containers. I pass Max hers, "Here."

She takes the container. I look around and find two mostly clean pieces of cutlery. Well, as clean as you are going to get in this place. I wipe it on my shirt to make sure and give Max the cleaner one. She nods appreciatively, "Thanks."

I almost rip open the container and descend on my food. I hear stifled giggles beside me and look up. Max has her hand over her mouth.

"What?"

Her eyes show her amusement, "I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before. That is a very unique technique for eating you've got there."

I flip her off. She smiles and opens her container. She places her fork in it and bring the food to her mouth, slowly chewing it. She really is the opposite to me eating habits wise. My eyes linger on her for a moment. She still manages to get some on her face, despite her caution.

I grin at her smugly, placing my empty container in the plastic bag I'm using for trash, "Well, I'm not the one with noodles all over my face."

She seems taken aback by this, "What?"

Max reaches up to go rub her mouth, but I grab her hand and stop her. She gives me a questioning look.

"Hold still."

She doesn't move. I lean over and lick the stray noodle off her face. While I'm at it, I give her cheek a playful nip. I sit back in the couch, satisfied that I've made myself clear enough. Max's eyebrows are raised, her mouth open in shock, a slight blush has formed on her cheeks.

"See I told you I didn't bite hard."

I wink at her and she looks away to hide her embarrassment, "Th-thanks."

 _The Price charm appears to be working nicely._

She clears her throat, "So, what is our first step?"

I lean back in the couch, my hands on my stomach, "I've had my eye on this jewelry shop for quite some time. It's nothing too big, so the security shouldn't be as dense, but it does have some hella neat stuff there."

Max continues to chew thoughtfully, "Sounds good. When do we start?"

I waggle my finger at her and tap her on the nose. She recoils a bit in shock at the sudden contact.

 _Oh man, she is so fucking cute._

"All in good time, my dear Max. Let's just enjoy the down time. You can never have enough of it."

I watch Max out of the corner of my eye as she eats. She is very deliberate with every move she makes. She glances at me, pausing mid bite. The food on her fork threatens to fall off into her lap, but she realizes at the last minute and shoves the fork in her mouth, making me laugh.

She finishes chewing, "Are you staring at me while I eat?"

I grin at her, "Maybe… I can't help it. I was dazed by the beautiful goddess beside me. It took my breath away."

She laughs, "Dog, that was so cheesy, even by my standards, and I have pretty high standards in the cheesy department," she looks away slightly and mumbles, "Maybe you're not so bad yourself."

 _Is that so?_

I take her chin with my hand and tip her head back up so she is looking at me, "I shall take a compliment from a pretty lady."

She shakes her head, smiling, "You really are persistent, huh?"

Her words make me pause.

 _Does she mean that in a good way, or a bad way? I don't want to be someone who relentlessly hits on people and makes them feel uncomfortable. I'd better check._

I take my hand away and adopt a serious expression, "Is that a problem? I can stop if you want. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Max looks at me and rubs her neck, "I… I didn't mean I wanted you to stop. It's just, I'm not used to this kind of thing."

I let out a breath I wasn't even sure I was holding in.

 _That's a relief._

I smirk, "Well, you had better get used to it, because I am relentless."

She smiles, "I'd gathered that."

She puts her fork down on a table beside the couch. She reaches for the plastic trash bag with her foot and puts the now empty container in it. Once she has done this, she leans back and yawns, her hand covering her mouth.

"Too much excitement for one day?"

She rubs her eyes, "Mmmm."

She is struggling to stay awake, a battle she is losing. I point over to my bed with my thumb, "You can stay here if you like. You can take my bed, I'll have the c-"

Before I have the chance to finish, I feel something resting on my shoulder. I look down and see Max leaning her head against me. She sighs contently, her eyes closed, "I don't want to move. It's comfortable here."

 _It looks like I'm in this for the long haul._

I scan the floor and see a blanket.

 _Don't want her getting cold or anything._

I gently reach over Max and grab the blanket from the floor.

 _This is one of those times I'm glad I don't put things away._

I reposition myself and Max so we are laying down on the couch. I pull the blanket over us. As I do this, she snuggles into me, gripping onto my t-shirt. She shifts a bit, then is still. I get a closer look at her face now. Her nose is covered in small freckles, something I hadn't noticed before. There are also dark circles under her eyes.

 _She doesn't look like she's been sleeping well, if the dark circles under her eyes are anything to judge by. Something I am all too familiar with._

Her breathing is steady, she lightly snores and mumbles in her sleep. I absentmindedly move a stray strand of hair from her face.

 _It's been a while since I slept with someone. I had forgotten how much I missed it. Rachel was always so cuddly. She would wrap her arms and legs around me and refuse to let go. Often, when she wanted me to pay attention to her, she would hug my leg and not let go. One time, we walked out of the flat like it, me dragging her along the floor. She got some major carpet burn. Oh, man did we get some funny looks from the neighbors._

I sigh and feel my eyes close.

 _Rachel… where are you?_

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now it's off to bed for me. It's like 2am in the morning where I am and I am so tired. Stay safe out there and see you next time.**


	3. Freeloader

**Hey guys. This one is a pretty fluffy and hopefully amusing chapter.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Freeloader**

 **Chloe's POV - Chloe's Flat**

A piercing light blinds my vision, causing me to turn my head in a vain attempt to shield myself from the invasion. I sigh, realizing that it is too late. I'm already awake.

 _Guess I can only put off getting up for so long._

My eyes flicker open and I find myself face to face with Max. It seems she has been drooling on my shoulder in her sleep if the small wet patch is anything to go by. The feeling in my left arm has gone. I glance down and smile when I see that she is laying on it. I try to free myself without waking her up, but I can't budge her.

 _I guess I'm stuck here, huh?_

Something is digging into my leg, most likely my truck key.

 _I must have forgotten to take it out of my pocket last night. To be fair I wasn't really expecting to be sleeping on the couch like this with Max._

She shifts slightly moving closer to me, her breathing remains steady and even as her grip on my top tightening. I continue to look at her relaxed and peaceful expression.

 _It's not such a bad situation really. I'm surprised we both managed to stay on the couch to be honest. It's not really designed for sleeping on._

I can feel her stir beside me. She slowly opens her bleary eyes, her hair is a mess. She lifts her head up a bit and looks around, trying to figure out where she is. Her eyes settle on me, a hint of confusion in them. I grin at her in response, "Morning sleeping beauty."

Max rubs her eyes and yawns. The confusion vanishes as she registers where she is. She places her head back down on the couch and smiles at me sleepily, "Hey. What time is it?"

I reach into my other pocket and pull out my phone. I glance down at the screen, "10 am."

After hearing this, Max stretches out, nearly hitting me in the face in the process. When she realizes this, she immediately recoils her hand and looks away sheepishly, "Sorry."

 _Hey, Rachel has done way worse before._

I grin at her awkwardness, "I think I can find it within myself to forgive you."

Max smiles at me, "I should hope so. As an apology, I'll make breakfast."

 _It would be nice to eat something proper for once. I've been living off leftover junk food for way too long._

"I'm not going to say no."

She untangles herself and slowly sits up, rubbing her face with her hands. I take out my now tingling arm from underneath her, shaking it around to try and get the feeling back in it.

 _Dead arms are the worst._

Max gets up off the couch and stretches again, her stomach showing slightly as she reaches up. I can't help but catch a quick glance. As I thought, Max definitely has a well-defined physique, I can see that easily enough. I look down at my own stomach. My top has ridden up a little while I was sleeping, revealing a slight bulge. I poke at it and it moves at my touch.

 _I used to be in pique physical condition, now not so much. The months of takeaways and little exercise are definitely starting to show._

Stifled laughter fills the small space. I lift my head to see Max, her hand over her mouth. When she catches me staring she clears her throat, trying to compose herself.

"What?"

She raises her eyebrow questioningly, "What are you doing?"

I place my hands behind my head and sigh, "Oh, just lamenting over my lost fitness."

Max comes over to the couch again and stands over me. My top has lifted up a bit, exposing my mid-section. Her eyes wonder down tentatively as she sits down on the edge of the couch and shyly places her warm hand on my stomach. She bites her lip then turns her gaze to me, a slight blush on her cheeks, "I dunno. I think it's kind of cute."

Before I have a chance to say anything back to her, she removes her hand and walks over to the fridge.

 _I guess my flirting is rubbing off on her. Nice._

I sit up and turn to watch her curiously as she walks. She opens the door and just stands there for a few moments.

 _What is she doing?_

"Chloe…"

"Yep."

She giggles and turns to me so I give her a questioning look, "What?"

She jabs her thumb towards the open fridge, "I don't think the food fairy has been. It's going to be a bit difficult to make food with half an onion, a flat beer…" Max leans in to inspect my fridge's content, "…and a moldy unidentified object. What even is that?"

 _Going shopping has been low on my priorities list recently… as well as cleaning. Man, I need to get my act together._

She leans in closer and immediately recoils, "Whatever it is, it doesn't smell good."

I heave myself up and come up behind her. I peer into the fridge and inspect the weird substance, an unpleasant smell filling my nose, "I couldn't tell you to be honest. It doesn't even resemble food anymore. Has it mutated? I think this is why I haven't been using the fridge."

Max shakes her head in disbelief, "Why didn't you remove it before now?"

I smile sheepishly, rubbing my face with my hand, "I forgot and then one day, this…" I point at the 'food', "…whatever this is, happened. It's like something out of a horror movie."

Max looks at the object with amusement, "How long has it been in there?"

I stroke my chin, trying to recollect any memories of the origins of this weird 'ingredient', "It's hard to say. It could have been a few weeks or… maybe months."

 _Maybe I have suppressed the memory. It's horrific enough to make me have nightmares._

Max laughs heartily t my vague answer. After a few moments, she wipes a tear from her eyes and exhales deeply. She motions her head towards the fridge, "Ok, we need to get some food in and get rid of… that, before your fridge gives birth to a new mutant civilization."

I scratch my head.

 _Why did I let it get that bad? The longer you leave it, the worse it gets. This unidentified mutated thing is a good metaphor for my life for the past six months. Hell, this thing could have actually been in there for that long. Judging by its appearance, that estimate might not be too far._

I shudder involuntarily, "I'll check the cupboards too," I bend down and rummage through my cupboards. All I find is a tin of chickpeas and a half eaten packet of potato chips.

 _What did I expect?_

I take a chip from the packet and place it in my mouth. It's gone stale.

 _There isn't any way of salvaging these._

I sigh and throw the chip into the trash bag from the other day. I turn back to Max, holding up the tin of chickpeas for her to see. She shakes her head, "Well, I think it is safe to say that we need to go shopping."

I close the cupboard and stand up, "No shit, Sherlock. Come on."

* * *

We pull into the parking lot and locate a free spot. Max and I get out and walk over to the front door. She grabs a shopping cart and pushes it along as we enter the store. It's not too busy, but there are enough people to make maneuvering a challenge. Max leans on the cart, looking over to me, "So, what do we get?"

 _I haven't really thought about what I needed before I got here. Come on, think…_

I shrug, "I guess we need eggs and stuff."

Max pushes the cart down the first aisle and grabs some eggs from one of the shelves. I take some milk, bread and bacon, shoving them in the cart. She lets out a small laugh at my haphazard throwing, "It's a good thing I got the eggs, huh?"

We press on, scanning the shelves for anything that could be useful. After about half an hour, our cart is full of items, including some gloves and extremely strong cleaning substances ready to tackle the potentially toxic thing from the fridge. We line up at the checkout, a woman scanning our items as Max and I pack them up.

 _This should keep us going for a while. It's a good thing payday has come. I still have a lot of the money from the bank heist left._

I reach into my back pocket for my wallet and pay for the items. Max opens her bag and rummages around, "I can pitch in too."

I turn to her and waver away her offer, "It's fine. I got this."

She doesn't look too pleased by my suggestion, but closes up her bag nonetheless. We place everything back in the cart and make our way out to the parking lot. I turn my head to her as we walk back to my busted up truck, "Maybe you can treat me to dinner sometime if it bothers you that much."

I wink at her, which causes her to turn her head away slightly and mumbles, "M-maybe I will."

Her answer causes my lips to quirk upwards into a smile. We get back to my truck and load it up. Max places the cart back while I start up the truck. She gets in and we drive back to my flat. She opens the window a crack, letting in some of the refreshing air into the truck, "We are so going to have a feast when we get back."

"I look forward to it. I am hella hungry."

My stomach chooses this moment to growl, demonstrating my point. Max gazes out of the window, watching the street rush past. She has a distant expression on her face. I don't disturb her from her thought. I pull up in my usual spot on the curb. Max still seems to be a million miles away. I tap her on the shoulder, causing her to jump.

"We're back."

She exhales, "Sorry, I got stuck in my thoughts."

 _I wonder what she was thinking about._

"No need to apologize man. It happens to us all."

Max smiles and gets out. I unlock the door to the flats and we proceed upstairs. When we reach my door Max grins at me cheekily, "Remember not to lock it this time."

I playfully nudge her shoulder, "I am so going to hit you."

I successfully open the door to my flat and we go inside. I place the plastic bags I'm carrying on the floor beside the couch. Max follows my lead. It takes us a couple of trips to carry everything up to my flat, but we manage somehow.

I wipe my brow, panting lightly, "This is when I wish I didn't live on the third floor."

Max isn't even breaking a sweat.

 _I really am out of shape._

I take a moment to catch my breath as Max motions to the fridge, "Next task is removing our friend, the mutated 'food' item from the fridge."

She grabs the bag with the cleaning supplies in and begins to make her way to the fridge. I grab onto her arm, stopping her from going. She almost falls over from the sudden action, but I manage to steady her. She turns her head back, a confused expression on her face, "Jeez, Chloe. No need to rip my arm off."

I offer her an apologetic smile, my hand still on her arm, "Sorry. Seriously though, before we start this momentous task, I'd just like to quickly discuss our first business venture."

Max places the bag down and I all but drag her back over to the couch. She rolls her eyes, but I can see her face is strained trying not to smile. I flop down onto the couch, almost pulling Max on top of me in my excitement and shift to a comfortable position before I begin, "Ok so the plan is simple. We disarm the alarms, get in, take whatever we can carry and get away with it."

Max stares blankly at me for a few moments, blinking her eyes every so often, "Are you cereal?"

I nod and she stifles a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand.

"What?"

She beams at me, "I think your planning skills need work."

I feign a hurt expression and put as much dramatic feeling into my voice as possible, "You wound me, my lady."

Max shrugs, a smug grin on her face, "What can I say? The truth hurts."

I place a hand on my chest, "Ouch, you are ruthless. Taking no prisoners. I like that. It's hella sexy."

Max giggles and shakes her head slightly while staring at me, "Sometimes, I can't tell if you're joking or not."

I look at her earnestly, all previous sarcasm and joking long gone, "I am being hella serious. I don't joke when it comes to things like this."

I gaze deeply into Max's eyes. She must notice how close we were now, because she starts blushing and her mouth opens in shock at my words. She looks like a deer caught in the headlight and swallows hard from the intensity of my gaze, "D-duly noted," she finally breaks the gaze by looking down at her feet to hide her embarrassment.

 _Damn, you are on fire today Chloe, or maybe Max is judging by the flush on her cheeks._

I put on a mocking tone, "Aw, did I make Max blush?"

I shift over towards her, my arm resting on the top of the couch behind her, "I did tell you to get ready for relentless flirting. Don't worry. You'll get used to it. Soon, you'll be giving back and good as you're taking."

She glances at me, "Y-you think so."

I lean in close to her, my voice low as I reach out a stroke her cheek gently, "I do."

Max swallows from the sudden intimacy, her lips parted further than usual exposing her off-white teeth and her eyes showing uncertainty, but also a slight hint of anticipation.

 _I do love it when she's embarrassed. The face she is making right now… it's a real turn on. I've toyed with her enough today._

I lean back in the couch and when I look over to Max again, a flicker of disappointment enters her eyes.

 _It seems I am working my magic on her._

I gently knock my knee against Max's. I can see her stealing a glance at our knees every so often, but she doesn't move away, "Anyways, back on track. To be fair, planning isn't my forte. I'm more the muscle, the person who blows shit up. Planning was… was…"

 _Rachel's job. She was the big mastermind with all the experience._

"…my partner's job, before she went missing. Her name was Rachel," her name falls from my lips, bringing forth a bittersweet taste and so many memories, memories I both want to hold onto for dear life, but also bury in the very depths of my mind. I close my eyes and relive the good times, the bad and all the ones in between.

 _We certainly had our fair share of each of these._

When I open my eyes again, Max looks at me with a gentle expression. She places a hand on my arm and rubs gently, "We'll work it out."

I sigh, "Yeah. There is no use fixating on the past. We need to look forward. Besides, we need to get that health hazard out of my fridge. I need to reclaim my land back in the name of Pricefield. Maybe I should get a flag for when I re-conquer the space?"

Max smirks at me, "Pricefield?"

 _I thought it was pretty good._

I grin at her, "Well, yeah. It could be a co-occupied space, if…if you wanted it to be."

Max stands there stunned, her eyebrows raised and her mouth open, "Are you… are you asking if I want to move in with you?"

I nod firmly, "Yep. Since Rachel isn't here, it's been kind of lonely and I thought that now we are partners in crime, it would be easier to plan stuff if we're under the same roof. The rent is really cheap and we can easily pay for it. Soon we are going to have hella cash. What do you say?"

Max closes her eyes momentarily deep in thought. When she opens them, her expression is serious, "On one condition."

"Name it."

A small smile forms on her face, "First, we need to remove your previous tenant, the fridge invader from hell."

 _I second this motion._

"Done and done. That pesky bastard hasn't been paying the rent anyway. Freeloaders, huh?"

* * *

After one and a half hours of battling, five pairs of gloves and no less than three bottles of cleaning product later, we manage to successfully remove the alien life form from my fridge. I wipe my brow and stand up, placing my hands on my hips and putting on a triumphant voice, "I claim this land in the name of Pricefield! It was a tough struggle and we lost many an ally along the way, but it's all been worth it."

Max shakes her head and smiles as she gets up off the floor, "You really are sticking with that, huh?"

I flash her an impish grin, "Damn right I am."

We gather up the remnants of my ex-flatmate and take it down to the huge trash dumpster outside. When we get back to my flat, we flop down on the couch.

"Man, that was the most difficult fight of my life and believe me I've seen my fair share," Max sinks into the couch further, letting out a tired sigh before looking over to me, her blue eyes piercing mine, "Next mission, food. I don't know about you, but I am starving."

"I am always hungry."

Max and I pries ourselves off of the couch, walk over to the kitchen. I open my now clean and full fridge.

 _This is the best thing I have seen in a long time._

I turn to her, "So, Max Ramsey, what are we having?"

She looks at me incredulously as if I shouldn't even have to question, "Eggs and bacon, duh?"

 _I like the way Max thinks._

"That, my dear, is a very good choice," I locate a pan and turn the ring on as Max grabs the eggs and bacon from the fridge and brings them over. She puts some oil into the pan and I pass her an egg, "So, have you been living with your parents up until now?"

Max cracks the egg into the pan, nodding while she does so, "Yeah, but the place isn't really designed for three people. It'll be good to get out and come here. Plus, I'll be nearer the main part of Arcadia. We live on the outskirts, because it was cheaper. It'll be easier to get to places now."

 _I'm surprised Arcadia housing is so expensive, given that it is basically a ghost town now._

I pass her another egg. As she takes it, her hand brushes against mine and lingers for a moment before she puts it into the pan. She manages to get a bit of shell in. She sighs and begins to fish it out with the intact egg shell in her hand.

I place my hands behind my head, "Yeah, the rent nearer the town is pretty expensive, unless there's been a murder or a drug deal in the flat."

Max looks up in amusement from her attempt to retrieve the shell, "Oh. Are we talking about this from experience?"

I feign offence, "If you are trying to imply that I would murder someone in my flat to keep the rent down… hmm… that's not actually a bad idea."

Max finally manages to get the eggshell out of the pan. She places some bacon in and it sizzles on contact with the heat. She smirks at me, "I think I'm going to sleep with a knife under my pillow from now on."

 _Max hasn't given me any reason to stab her, so it's cool. I don't make a habit of hurting people for no reason._

"You'd better."

My words cause her to laugh. Her laugh is mesmerizing. I get caught up in her. After a moment, I realise that she is staring back at me, her head tilted curiously to one side as if enquiring what is wrong.

 _Shit, I was staring and she saw. Play it cool._

I shake my head and come back to my senses and clear my throat, "No, but seriously, I think something went down in this flat. I can't exactly remember what but hey, I'll do anything in the pursuit of lower rent."

My stomach grumbles, causing her to laugh again. A few minutes later, the food is ready. I grab some sort of clean plates from the pile near the sink and give them a rinse. I lay the table as Max brings the pan over and attempts to transfer the food onto the plates.

"Damn," she manages to drop an egg on a plate, however the egg lands upside down. The yolk breaks and oozes onto the plate. She looks to me and shrugs, "Oh well. It's the taste that counts."

I grab some bread and shove it in the toaster on the side while Max works. She is slightly more successful with the second egg. It lands yolk up and doesn't break. After a miniature struggle, Max manages to move everything over and she smiles victoriously at me.

"Well done, Super Max," I bring over the toast and I pat her on the back. I place it in the middle of the table and pull out a chair for her, "Madam, would you care to take a seat?"

Max giggles, "Well, aren't you a gentleman? Don't mind if I do."

She perches herself on the chair as I tuck it under the table. I take a seat opposite her. The heavenly smell fills my flat, causing my mouth to water, "It smells so good."

I rub my hands together as Max motions to the food on the table, "Well, dig in."

 _She doesn't need to ask twice._

I take some of the toast and grab a fork, descending on my food. I hear yet another stifled laugh and glance up to see Max smiling at me, her chin propped on her hand as her blue eyes sparkle with amusement, "I forgot how violently you ate. No-one is going to steal it you know."

I casually flip her off and continue shoveling food into my mouth. Max shakes her head, smiling and proceeds to eat. She picks up her fork and knife, carefully balancing some of the egg and bacon on top of her toast. I gently nudge her foot under the table. She looks up from her masterpiece.

"Maybe this time, you can avoid getting it on your face."

She pouts and pushes my foot back, "That was one time."

She resumes. Every so often I nudge her foot, each time she returns it. She doesn't look up, but I can see her lip quirk upwards into a smile every time I do it.

 _Something tells me that things are going to get fun around here._

* * *

 **If I do write something that is wrong in relation to the non-binary aspect, don't hesitate to tell me. I want to approach this respectfully. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this one. I hope you guys did too. Have an amazing day, laugh a lot, make someone smile, do something you enjoy, look after yourselves and I'll see you next time.**


	4. Three Steps Backwards

**Hey guys. How's it going? Here is the next chapter. It's pretty long, but I'm sure that's not an issue.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Three Steps Backwards**

 **Chloe's POV - Outside the Jewelry Store**

We sit in my truck, parked a little way up the road from the jewelry store while we wait for the right time to strike. The store has been closed for about an hour now and we've been monitoring the guard's movements. There is only one, which makes it easier. So long as he doesn't call any back up, we're fine. Max managed to get someone she knows to sort out the cameras last night and is poised on disabling the alarms. Now all that's left is to get inside. I'm starting to feel nervous, my heart races and my fingers drum on the steering wheel.

 _Ok, Chloe. You've got this._

I take a deep breath and glance over at Max. Knowing that someone else is here with me makes this slightly less nerve-wracking, especially someone like Max, "Are you ready for this, Super Max?"

She turns to me, one eyebrow raised in mild amusement, "Super Max?"

I shrug casually, "Yeah, why not?"

"We're hardly superheroes, Chloe," she sighs despondently as she stares down at her hands, playing with the bands on her wrist. Her downcast and almost hopeless expression makes my heart sink in my chest.

 _Damn it, Max. Don't make that face._

I scoff, causing her to look up at me, "Fuck superheroes. They rarely have to go through half the shit we have. They're perfect upstanding citizens. They represent an ideal. People are never simple. You can't put them into boxes. You're evil, you're good. It doesn't work like that," I pause for a moment to see if my impassioned speech is getting through to her before continuing, "Besides, I always empathized more with villains, why? Because they are more real. They are the ones who have had fucked up lives and had to deal with shit, often on their own. They were the ones who broke the boundaries, who challenged everything we're told should be. Like us."

 _I hate it when people try to simplify, to order, to categorize. People don't fit neatly into one column or another. It's more complex._

I place an arm reassuringly on her shoulder. She stares into my eyes, her gaze is so intense that it draws me in with little hope of escape, "Look, I'm not saying that what we are doing is right or anything, but you have to do whatever to survive. No-one else is going to help, so you have to help yourself."

Max is quiet for a moment then nods, her face impassive, "I get it."

I'm still not 100% convinced that she totally believes what I have said, but she doesn't seem quite as resigned to the fact that we are inherently bad people. Once the guard has left to scout out the surrounding area, we exit the truck and go over to an alleyway beside the store with our gear. Max scans the area to make sure he's gone and consults a map, her finger moving along the surface, exploring it thoroughly.

 _God this is hella boring. I have a better idea…_

"Now, there is a vent just-" a loud explosion cuts Max's sentence off. Bricks fly into the air and a loud crash pierces the air. She freezes and stares down at the dislodged bricks on the floor. Her body tenses up as she turns to me, her eyes narrowed, "Chloe…"

I smile innocently at her, not that this seems to get rid of the suspicion in her eyes, "Yes, Super Max?"

She looks at me unimpressed, sighing deeply as she glances over at the hole in the wall of the jewelry store again and rubs her temples, "Did you just blow a hole in the side of the store?"

I stroke my chin, delaying my answer. After a moment I shrug at her in response, "It depends how you define 'store'," I point over to the jewelry place, Max's eyes following my index finger, "Is this a store or is it a shop?"

Max facepalms, shaking her head and rubbing her face, "I could have got us in more quietly," she mumbles into her hand.

 _Quiet is the last thing I am._

I gently nudge Max's shoulder, causing her to look up at me, "Yeah, but it would have been less fun."

Max exhales, scratching her head, "If by fun, you mean having half the Arcadia Bay police department on us, then yeah, it'll be fun. It's a good thing I sorted out the cameras yesterday. You could have at least waited for the alarms to be disabled though."

I lean over and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Max seems taken aback by this, her head snapping to face me. I take this opportunity to lean in and whisper into her ear, "Live a little."

She opens her mouth to protest, but no words come out. The silence is broken by a high-pitched alarm ringing through the air. I grab Max's hand and drag her through the hole in the wall. This place looks pretty classy considering its location. I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has. Arcadia has a tendency to suck the life out of everyone and everything in it. Now was not the time to be pondering this though.

I unzip my duffel bag and make my way over to the display cases, "We don't have much time. Grab what you can and let's bail."

Max rolls her eyes at me playfully, her tone wry, "I wonder whose fault that is."

I stick my tongue out as I smash the glass of a display case and sweep all the jewelry into my bag. I hear more glass break, signaling that Max is also getting to work.

"Hey," a deep booming voice comes from behind us, presumably the guard. I turn to see a well-built man standing there, his hand on a gun attached to his belt. Before he can say or do anything else, I hear the whooshing of air and a loud grunt. He doubles over and falls back onto the floor with a loud thud, Max standing over him. She moved so quickly that I hadn't even noticed. She lifts his gun and continues to collect up all the jewelry.

"I have to say, Super Max I'm impressed."

Max chuckles heartily as she continues to shove whatever she can get her hands on into her bag, "Thanks, girlfriend."

After a few minutes, we have cleared out the store. I glance down at the shimmering sea of gold and silver, impressed with our haul.

 _Damn, this is going to have us set up for a while._

I zip up the duffel bag, sling it over my shoulder and motion towards the hole leading to the alleyway, "Let's bail."

I don't need to tell Max twice. We both run out through the hole and make our getaway. As we thunder down the narrow alleyway my heart races, pumping adrenaline through my veins.

 _I've missed this, the thrill of the chase, the exhilaration._

As we floor it, I turn my head to Max. She appears to be cruising along easily at this pace, not even breaking a sweat, unlike me who is having real difficulty keeping up.

 _Man, I need to seriously get in shape._

"You have to admit, the explosion was pretty awesome," I say, panting lightly and offering her a cheeky grin.

She shakes her head, her face strained from trying to suppress a smile, "Yes, let's see how awesome it is when we're in jail."

I nudge her gently as we pick up our pace, "Don't worry. You can be my prison girlfriend. I won't let anyone fuck with you," I wink at her suggestively, "That's my job. We can get matching tattoos and everything. So romantic."

Max laughs at my suggestion, "If we survive that long."

 _Well, she didn't say she was opposed to the idea, so that's a good sign._

"Oh my dear Max, have a little faith," I mumble as I look back over my shoulder, the store long since gone. No-one seems to be tailing us either. My pace slows down to a stop and I double over, my hands on my knees. I take a few deep breaths and remove my disguise, wiping my brow with the back of my hand as I lean my back against the wall of the alleyway and shrug my heavy bag off of my shoulder, dropping it on the floor with a loud thump, "Phew. That was a… blast."

Max rolls her eyes, not before I catch her lips quirking upwards into a smile, "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

I shake my head, finally starting to catch my breath again. I feel as if I have run a marathon, my legs threatening to give way any moment, "Nope. You love it though."

She takes off her eye mask and smirks amusedly, "Maybe."

When I finally feel like I won't keel over, I push off of the wall and walk around to stretch out my aching legs.

 _That went surprisingly well considering my input. Without Rachel around, there is little to stop me from acting on impulse._

I shake out one final time and turn to Max, "Right, let's get a-"

A sinister voice whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine, "Found you," a loud gunshot pierces the air and a sharp pain enters my side. Something warm and sticky oozes underneath my top. I touch my side to investigate, my hand coming away bloody. My brain doesn't fully register what is actually happening. I let out a shuddery breath before stumbling back, my back hitting the wall. I look down to see the ever growing red stain, my vision becoming hazy and tunneled with each passing second.

 _Shit. This is bad._

"Chloe!" I glance up to see Max's concerned face. Her anxious blue eyes widen in fear as they take in the red stain. She seems to run almost in slow motion to me. I feel my body slump, my limbs becoming dead weight. She catches me, softening the fall and gently guides me down to the floor. Her voice echoes around me, "Chloe… Chloe… are you ok? Please talk to me," I flinch as she presses her hands on my wound, trying to stem the blood flow.

 _Fuck._

I can feel my body shake slightly from the shock. This is not the first time I have been shot. I've seen my fair share of bullets, but there seems to be so much more blood this time. Max's wavering voice is little more than a whisper, "Chloe. Come on."

A cold, calculated voice pierces the air from the shadows. Something about the voice makes me shudder involuntarily. I squint to try and identify my attacker, but their figure is hidden in shadow and my vision is beginning to blur. The voice speaks again, louder this time as if they are moving closer, "Please, step away from Chloe. There is no need for you to get involved. I don't want to have to spill more blood than necessary."

 _Wait… I recognize that voice from somewhere. Who…?_

I rack my brain, trying to place the voice to a face… a name… anything. It's getting harder to concentrate by the minute. Max stands firm, refusing to budge. The fact that she is willing to protect me makes my heart soar. It also worries me. I don't want her to get hurt over something like this… or worse. My side throbs, causing me to curl up and grunt in pain. Max hears this and grabs my hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Her eyes come into focus for a brief second, a determined glint in them as she moves in front of me protectively, "What do you want with Chloe?"

The figure walks closer, but I still can't make out who it is. My vision is beginning to fade further, despite my attempts to concentrate.

 _Gotta stay awake._

I shake my head to try and remain in control. The voice of my attacker echoes in the narrow alleyway, "We have some… unfinished business to attend to."

Max firmly presses her hands on my stomach, which reminds me a little of before, _"I dunno. I think it's kind of cute."_

Maybe it's silly to be thinking about something like that now, but I have to think of something positive. I turn my head lethargically and see Max clench her fists, "Fuck that. I won't let you have her."

I hear a disappointed sigh, "That is a shame. I thought you would be amicable. Have it your way."

Max suddenly darts forward to the figure and kicks them in the stomach. The figure reels back in pain, obviously winded. She goes to attack again, when the figure draws a gun and points it at her.

 _Fuck._

"D-duck, Max."

Max ducks without hesitation, the bullet narrowly missing her. Had she been a second later, it would have passed right through her forehead. This doesn't appear to phase her much as she uses one of the alleyway walls to propel herself off and clotheslines the figure with all her weight.

"Ooof."

The figure falls backwards, landing on the concrete with a loud thud and groan. Before they have the chance to act, Max is on them. She pulls out her knife and presses it to their throat, "Who are you? Why are you here?" the figure laughs maniacally. Max must have tightened her hold on their throat, because the laugh becomes strangled at the end, "Answer the fucking question," Max snarls threateningly.

"Who I am is not important. As for why I'm here, I already told you. I'm here to have a chat with Chloe."

Max's grip on the knife hardens, "Bullshit! You hurt Chloe, I can't ever forgive you."

The figure sighs deeply, "Yes, well I wasn't left with much choice. I've been looking for a long time," they suddenly throw Max off and stands up, calmly brushing themselves off. I struggle to keep my eyes open, everything now a shadowy blur. The taunting voice speaks once more, "Well Chloe, it appears you are lucky today. I have no desire to be turned into a pin cushion by your friend. Next time, I'll come prepared. Until then."

The figure walks into the shadows. Max runs after them, but it's too late. She hits the wall with her hand in anger, then shakes it at the pain, "Fuck," she runs to my side, bending down and pressing her hands once again on my stomach, "Chloe…" her voice breaks as if she is about to cry, worry filling her eyes.

"Don't… worry, Max. I'm… invincible," I try to grin, but it ends up being a grimace.

Tears roll down Max's cheeks and land on my face, warming my cold skin. Seeing her cry is heart breaking. I reach out my hand to her face, twitching a little from the pain and gently wipe her tears away, "Don't… cry. Smiling… suits you better. Smile for me."

Max gives me a small forced smile. She tries so hard, her effort makes my heart race in my chest.

 _Goddamn it Chloe, this girl has got you good. I haven't felt a connection to someone this strong since Rachel. You have to keep it together._

"Atta girl. See… wasn't so hard," I rest my hand on her cheek and she leans into my touch, covering my hand with hers.

 _This is not how this is going to end._

A name pops into my head at this moment, along with an image of a girl with blonde hair tied in a bun. My throat is dry, the words getting stuck in my throat, "Need… need to text Kate."

Max gives me a confused look, her eyebrows raised, "Kate?"

I nod and try to reach into my pocket, my face contorting as a shooting pain fills my side causing me to inhale sharply. Max's grip on me tightens, restricting my movement, "Don't move, Chloe. You'll make it worse."

I place my head back against the wall, breathing deeply, "Reach into… pocket."

Max shoves her hand into my pocket and I can't help but chuckle at her eagerness even given the severity of my situation, "Damn… s-someone's keen to… get in my pants."

She shakes her head, suppressing a smile as more tears still fall from her eyes and splash down onto my skin, "I would so hit you right now if you weren't injured," she locates my phone and checks the contact list. I look down at my wound to see blood oozing from it, showing no sign of relenting.

 _Damn it. I wanted to own one thing that didn't have blood on it._

"I manage to… to ruin my only… clean piece of clothing. Blood i-is such a pain to… get rid of," I cough and can feel something warm trickle down my chin. Max's eyes widen in fear. She fumbles around in her pocket and grabs a tissue, her shaky hand wiping at the corner of my mouth with it. A trail of red stains the white tissue.

 _This really doesn't look good._

Max looks at me, tears threatening to fall again, "Hold on, Chloe. I'll get you help," I fade in and out of consciousness, my world darkening around the edges.

 _No, it's not going to end like this._

Max's voice becomes muffled and distant, as if we were submerged underwater, "Just stay with me… please."

* * *

My eyes open abruptly, only met by darkness. There is no light to see by at all. I look around trying to find out where I am, but I just can't see anything.

 _Where am I?_

I fumble around for a source of light and find that there is some kind of table next to me. I feel around on it, knocking something over. It falls to the floor with a clunk, but I don't pay it much mind. I finally find what feels like a lamp and switch it on. The bed dips next to me and arms envelop me, a warm pressure pushing into my back. I freeze, unsure of what is going on.

"Priceless… turn that off," a voice mumbles into my back.

 _There is only one person who calls me by that name… no it couldn't be…_

I swallow hard, trying to wet my dry throat as my voice comes out half strangled, "Rach?"

She moves her head from behind my back, placing her lips on my neck. Her long blonde hair flows over me. She smiles against my skin, "Who else would it be?" she shuffles closer to me, "You are usually out for the count when you sleep. What's up?"

Her breath is warm against my skin, her sleepy voice filling my ears. It is a sound I had missed so much. I try to speak, but words fail me so instead I twist in her hold and hug her tight, "I missed you."

She giggles at my actions before sighing contently, "Ok, I think someone needs to cut back on the booze or weed… or both."

 _You're here. You really are. Oh god._

I squeeze her tighter, never wanting to let go of her again, "I'm not sure what brought this on, but I'm not going to complain, but do you think you can loosen up a little. It's getting hard to breathe."

I slowly loosen my hold on her. As I do, she kisses my nose and lays her head back down on her pillow. Her hazel eyes stare deep into my eyes as her hand reaches out for mine. I take it, intertwining our fingers. I bring her hand up to my lips and kiss it. Her hands are slightly calloused and smell faintly of coconut from the hand cream she uses to combat this. I inhale the scent, committing it to memory.

Rachel smirks smugly, "Someone's being extra touchy feely today. Usually I have to beg for this kind of attention."

 _Was all that just a really messed up dream? It seemed so real though…_

After a moments silence, I call out to her, "Rach."

She absentmindedly twiddles a strand of my faded blue hair in her fingers, "Hmmm..."

I hide my head in her hair. It smells of flowers. I remember the first time she used it. She spent ages flitting from brand to brand, never settling on anything for some reason. She told me to pick one out for her. Me being myself nonchalantly chose the first one I saw and shoved it in the cart. When we got back, I flopped down on the bed. She showered and snuggled up close to me. The scent was subtle yet fresh. I told her it smelled good and she has used it ever since.

"Don't ever leave," I mumble quietly.

She giggles, "Why would I ever leave you, Priceless?" she kisses my lips tenderly, then places her forehead against mine, "I'm not going anywhere."

 _ **Find me…**_

* * *

I wake with a start, a pain shoots through my side. I immediately regret moving and clutch at my side, "Fuck! Shit! Balls!"

I grit my teeth and inhale sharply, hearing a stifled giggle coming from the next room, "I think someone is awake given the string of profanities I can hear."

The door creaks as someone enters the room. A girl with blonde hair tied up in a bun and a kind smile comes over to where I lay, the bed dipping down as she sits beside me. I stare at her in disbelief, "Kate? How did… how did I get here?"

She reaches over to my side and lifts up my top, casually inspecting the wound, "I got a call from a panicked girl saying that you had been shot. I really wasn't surprised to be honest."

I rack my brain, trying to remember what happened. It's really vague and hazy. Kate gets up and walks over to the table in the corner. She comes back with some medical supplies to clean my wound, placing them on the bedside table, "It's a good thing I'm well stocked, huh? It does help that you've been out of action for a few months. You wouldn't believe how much I got through when you were at the apex of your career."

Kate goes over to the curtains and opens them, the blinding light seeping into the room. I blink a few times to get accustomed to it, then scan the room. I vaguely recognize it. It's minimally decorated and the walls are almost empty, save a few slightly torn and yellowing posters. There are only the bare necessities here. The bed I'm on is not the most comfortable ever, the metal springs are sticking into my back a little, but it could be worse. Apart from this, there is a light wooden desk, a small beat up couch and a couple of chairs.

"Where are we?"

Kate comes back to join me on the bed and begins to prepare, "We're at Blackwell. The old HQ. Victoria drove you here."

I hear footsteps enter the room, "Yeah, and you got blood all over the upholstery."

I turn to the derisive voice. A tall girl with short blonde hair and taunting brown eyes leans against the door frame, her hand on her hip. She sports the usual look of superiority and disgust I am accustom to.

"It wouldn't be the first time," I wryly comment.

Victoria pushes off of the doorframe and stands up straight, her arms crossed over her chest, "Yes, and I'm sure it won't be the last time either. There are only so many places I can go to get this cleaned up without causing suspicion and it'll be expensive."

 _Oh how I missed Victoria's scathing comments._

"I'm sure it's something you can handle."

Victoria sighs deeply, shaking her head, "Well, if someone didn't keep fucking up, it could have been easily avoided."

Kate giggles, "Now, now Victoria. It's been a while since we've seen Chloe. Don't even try to deny that you have missed them."

Victoria's eyes soften ever so slightly, no longer holding the judgmental glint they often did, "Maybe I have a little bit… and maybe I was a bit worried when I saw you in a pool of your own blood. I'm not a total bitch."

Kate smiles warmly at Victoria, causing her to look down at her feet. I swear I see the slightest of blushes form on Victoria's cheeks. I shift into a sitting position, trying to get out of bed, "Aw, I missed you too Icky Vicky. Come give me a hug."

Kate pushes me back down gently yet firmly before raising an eyebrow, seemingly amused at my attempt, "Nice try Chloe, but you are bedridden for the next few days. Don't even think of moving, or you'll have me to deal with."

I pout at the prospect of being bedridden. I hate being told what to do, even if it is for my own good. Victoria rolls her eyes at my childish display, but I can see she is trying to stifle a smile. Despite all the stupid arguments we've had over literally every possible topic, we still care about each other.

Victoria strides over to me, her eyes lingering over where the bullet passed through my side, "Do you need me to take care of anything?"

I shake my head, "Nah. I think we are good."

She nods briefly as Kate turns to me, her eyes determined, "Now, let's get that wound re-dressed. We don't want it to get infected."

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a worried face peeking into the room through the gap in the door. When Kate sees me looking, she glances over to the door and smiles at me knowingly, "You can come in, Max."

The door creaks as Max tentatively enters the room. She stands there awkwardly, her hand grabbing at her elbow. She bites her lip, worrying it between her teeth, "Can… can I help?"

Kate smiles at her warmly, her eyes gentle and accommodating, "Sure," she motions Max over with her hand and after some hesitation, she makes her way over to the bed, "If you could help remove Chloe's top so I can access the wound."

Max swallows and comes closer to me. She grabs the bottom of my top with shaking fingers and pulls up slowly. I smirk smugly, "You can't wait to get me undressed, huh?"

She blushes slightly at this. I lift my arms up as much as I can and Max eases the top above my head. I can feel her hands brush against my skin. I'm not sure if it's by accident or not. I lay there, my scar covered skin exposed, "Ah, hella unfair. You get to see my battle scars, but I don't get to see yours."

Max's blush intensifies. She gently touches one of the many scars that line my skin. Where her fingers touch, a trail of fire is left. The way she traces each scar with such tenderness makes my skin tingle. She is trying to decipher my story, as if she were reading braille.

I hear an exasperated sigh, one that can only come from one person. Victoria looks on unimpressed, her eyes squinting at us accusingly, "There are other people in the room you know."

Max breaks out of her trance, "S-sorry," she stutters nervously as she rubs her neck.

I on the other hand am not so bashful, flipping Victoria off. This causes her jaw to tighten, "Why? Are you jealous, Chase?"

Victoria opens her mouth to protest, but after a stern look from Kate, closes it shut again immediately.

 _I had forgotten how scary Kate could get when she tried. I have been on the receiving end of that stare one too many a time._

Kate shakes her head at our bickering, "I'm glad to see you've still got enough energy to fight."

She delicately cleans my wound. It stings a bit, but I've had to deal with worse… way worse. Max's gaze is focused on the floor. Every so often I catch her glancing over at me, which makes me smile. Kate carefully re-dresses the wound and grabs a clean top from a drawer. She helps me put it on and lays me back down, "How's that?"

I shift slightly, half expecting a shooting pain to pass through my body. However, I am pleasantly surprised that it doesn't. Sure, it's a little sore, but nothing like before, "Not bad, Marshmallow. You did always have those healing hands."

Kate looks at me amused, then her face suddenly turns serious, "Now, Chloe. You are going to be out of action for a few days. You are not to move unless you have to. Got it," I nod reluctantly. There was no point arguing with Kate. She may not look it, but she is stubborn as hell, "You can stay here while you recuperate if you want."

 _I don't know if I can handle it yet. I haven't been back here since… Rachel went missing._

I have to admit, being here was making me uneasy, making me remember a lot of things I had been trying to forget. I shift uncomfortably, "I'd rather go back home, no offence. This place kind of brings back a lot of memories and shit I'm not ready to deal with yet."

Kate nods sympathetically and turns to Max, "So, Max was is? Can I ask you a big favor?"

Max nods, "Sure."

Kate reaches out and holds Max's hands, "Can you look after this troublesome child?"

I gently nudge Kate's shoulder, "Hey, I'm not troublesome."

I hear Victoria scoff, "I beg to differ."

I smirk at her, "Oh, you are so lucky I am bedridden, Chase."

There is a determined glint in Max's eyes as she stares at Kate. She grips on tighter to Kate's hands, "I can do that."

Kate smiles, "Great. Now, Victoria will drop you guys off."

* * *

 **Outside Chloe's Flat**

I hobble up the two flights of stairs to my flat with Max and Victoria's help. I now regret getting a third floor room in a building without a lift. That's what I get for being a cheap skate.

"God Price, you are so fucking heavy. What have you been eating for the past six months?"

I shrug, "Mostly junk food and takeaways."

"Figures."

When we get to the third floor, Max takes my key out of my pocket and opens the door. We enter the room, Max nearly tripping over the suitcase with all Rachel's stuff in. Luckily, she manages to steady herself. We make our way over to the bed and they lower me onto it.

Victoria exhales and wipes her brow, "Right, I have to get going now, but if you need either Kate or me, just give us a ring," she walks over to the door to leave. Before she does, she looks back over her shoulder at us, "Oh, Max was it?"

Max nods in response and Victoria jerks her head towards me, "Don't let this troublesome punk live off of junk food for another six months."

"I won't."

She smiles slightly, then exits my flat. I am left alone with Max now.

"Well, that could have gone better," I sigh.

Max looks at the floor, shuffling her feet. She doesn't speak for a while. I'm starting to get worried when I hear her mumble, "I thought…"

Without warning, she launches herself at me onto the bed and wraps her arms around me tightly. I grit my teeth. My trip up the stairs has jolted the wound, making the pain return. Max's sudden pounce hadn't helped, "Do you think you can go a little easier on the hugs? I'm still a bit tender."

Max sobs, burying her head into my shoulder. Her voice almost gets lost in the fabric of my shirt, "You almost d-died," she clutches on tighter, refusing to let me move an inch.

I reach down and gently stroke her hair, "Almost, yeah, but I'm not. It's fine. I'm here."

I continue to stroke her hair as she calms down. Her cries grow fewer and farther between as she steadies her breathing. She eventually lifts her head up, her eyes red and puffy. She swipes at them with the sleeve of her gray hoodie, "Sorry."

 _It's nice to know someone cares about me._

I offer her a toothy grin, "No worries. It was pretty scary back there, but you saved my ass. If you weren't there… who knows what would have happened. You are Max the Ninja."

She beams at me as I ruffle her hair. She takes a deep breath, her tears finally stopping. Her hold on me loosens a little, but not much. I maneuver us into a more comfortable position on my bed, her arms still gripping me and mine underneath her body, around her shoulder. Max looks at me, "So, what's the deal with Victoria and Kate?"

I shift slightly, her grip tightening as I move. I guess she thought I was going to get up, "Rach knew them from a while back and they used to help us. We were kind of a team. Kate was our medical expert. She dealt with injuries and also made sure we're feeling ok in general. She's hella good at giving advice."

 _She has helped me so many times._

"Victoria dealt with the 'legal' side of our activities. She has some connections she uses so that if things go tits up, we could get off scot-free. She's pretty scary in the courtroom and is one of the best attorneys in the country. Also, she could find the people to unload the goods."

 _Victoria is a useful ally to have and a hella scary enemy._

Max places her head on my shoulder and sighs deeply, "Sounds like you had a good thing going."

 _It was great. I felt like I had my shit together and that things were actually going my way for once._

I smile reminiscently, "We did."

 _Maybe it's time to stop hiding. I can't keep running away from my memories and problems. I've done it for six months too long. I have to face them._

"Maybe we can get it going again. Sure, Rach isn't here…" I sigh dejectedly at this, Max squeezes me reassuringly. I offer her a sad smile, "Anyway, we could tem up again, use Blackwell as our HQ again."

She looks up at me, her eyes holding a question, "Wait, isn't Blackwell supposed to be abandoned?"

I rub my face with my free hand, "Technically, yes."

Max's brow furrows in confusion, "It got blown up didn't…" she squints at me suspiciously, "Did you have anything to do with that?"

I smile at her innocently, "Perish the thought."

She doesn't seem convinced at all, "You did, didn't you?"

I exhale resignedly, "Maybe I did, but I had my reasons."

"Which were?"

I briefly consider trying to change the subject, but it's pointless.

 _I suppose there is no reason to lie to Max._

"There was this real bastard there, hiding under the guise of a teacher. He had all sorts of sinister shit planned. We might be criminals, but we don't want to hurt people, whereas he had no qualms about doing any of the really serious shit. Kidnap, you got it. Murder, sure. Torture, no problem."

 _He really was a sick bastard. He only cared about himself._

"We were going to take him out quietly, but he had other plans. Luckily no-one got hurt, but they closed the school down," I think back to the voice from earlier. Something about it still bugs me. I wrack my brain, trying to work out why.

 _Wait…_

My eyes widen in realization as the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place, "Holy shit, Max. I think that was him. You know, who attacked us."

 _I was naïve to think we had gotten rid of him._

She takes hold of my hand, gently rubbing it to calm me down, "Max, I know he has something to do with Rachel's disappearance. He's the only one who could have. Maybe he has her trapped somewhere. He always was a sick fuck."

She places her other hand on my cheek, making me look into her bright determination filled blue eyes, "If she is out there, we'll find her Chloe. I promise you."

I lean into Max's touch, taking her hand from my cheek and placing a light kiss on it, "Thanks, Max. I'm sorry to get you involved in all this shit."

She smiles warmly at me, her eyes sparkling, "No worries. It might be scary, but it's fun..." she blushes slightly as she speaks, "…and… and spending time with you is… always a good thing."

I smile, "Spending time with you is great too."

We are really close right now, our faces only inches apart. For a moment we just lay there, lost in this oddly intimate moment. Max suddenly clears her throat, untangles herself and sits up, "Now, let's get you some food. I bet you're starving."

My heart drops a little at the loss of warmth and contact, but I don't let this show, "You know me well."

* * *

 **Rachel's POV -** **Location Unknown**

I stand on the cliff edge, my long blonde hair whipping around me in the wind. There is a pain in my bruised cheek and blood trickles down from a busted lip. I wipe at it as I stand there, a red streak appearing on my hand. I briefly look down at it in fleeting interest, then focus on the more pressing matter.

I've been on the run from these assholes for six months. They just won't leave me alone. Every time I think I've escaped, they find me again. I didn't want to put Chloe in danger. It was my fault after all. I managed to piss off the most notorious dastardly super villain around.

 _Not one of my finest moments._

I take a deep breath, the cold air filling my lungs, my side hurting as I breathe in. I'm sure I have a bruise there too. A taunting, cold voice pierces the air, "Give it up, Rachel. You're trapped. There is no escape."

 _He should know better than to challenge me._

I turn around and smirk at the man standing a few feet from me. His face is one I know so well. Those condescending eyes, the arrogant grin and that ridiculous goatee he insists on keeping.

 _It really is awful. Why do they always insist on a goatee? He thinks he has me trapped… well I've got news for him, I don't give up that easily._

I glance around, trying to find a way out. My mind searches every possibility, each more desperate than the last. Finally, I settle on the fact that there is really only one way out of this.

 _It might be crazy, but it's better than being left to the mercy of this asshole._

"Oh really. If you knew me half as well as you think you do, you would know that I always find a way out," I take a step towards the cliff, trying to make it as subtle as possible. I don't want him to realize what I'm doing.

 _Just keep him talking. He does love the sound of his own voice, so that should be easy._

The man laughs manically, his steely eyes challenging me to try and escape, a huge smug grin on his face, "Death is your only escape now."

I shake my head at his complacence, "That's where you are wrong," I take another small step backwards. It appears he hasn't noticed yet, which is all I can hope for. I briefly glance down at my feet. I can see the very edge of the cliff and the drop down into the vast ocean.

 _One more. May as well have a little fun I guess._

I shake my head and smile, "By the way, shave that pathetic excuse for a beard off while you're at it," he opens his mouth to protest at my insult, but I take my final step and fall. His face is a picture as I go over, rage and annoyance, maybe even a slight hint of worry. As I plummet towards the murky depths, there is only one thought on my mind.

 _Priceless, I'm coming to get you._

* * *

 **The plot thickens. DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!**

 **We got our first glimpse of Rachel. I think she shall be making an appearance properly fairly soon, which I'm hella excited for. Amberpricefield is going to be so fun to write. I hope you guys are excited too.**


	5. Home Is Where You Are

**Hey guys. How's everyone doing today? This chapter is going to take place over a week or so.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Home is Where You Are**

 **Chloe's POV – Chloe's Apartment**

"…loe… Chloe."

I feel myself being gently shaken, immediately turning over and pulling the covers above my head to ignore my rude awakening, "Five more minutes…"

I hear a sigh and a soft spoken, hesitant voice permeates the air, "I need to change your bandages."

I pretend I am still asleep in order to deter the attempts to get me out of bed. I feel a rush of cold air as the covers are suddenly pulled off of me. Unable to feign ignorance, I open my eyes a fraction and squint at the person who did it.

Max stands there, shaking her head at my resistance, "You make this way more of a task than it needs to be."

The sudden temperature change makes me curl up instinctively, "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaax."

She places a hand on her hip, her vibrant blue eyes trained on me, "Come on. Get your ass out of bed," she approaches me and I use this opportunity to grab her, pulling her into the bed with me, wrapping my legs and arms around her tightly, "Chloe…"

She squirms, but I just tighten my hold and whine, "You took my heat source, so you'll have to be my new one," I nuzzle into her neck.

Her body relaxes and she sighs tiredly, "Fine. Just for a few minutes. Then I have to get that wound sorted. Ok?"

I grin victoriously at her, "Yep. So long as I get my hugs in, I'm cool."

We lay there for a few moments in silence, the sound of her steady breathing filling my ears.

 _I'm so happy that Max agreed to do this. There is no-one I could think of who could take better care of me… maybe Kate._

"Max?"

She shifts slightly to glance at me. Her voice is gentle and soft. She swipes at the stray strands of hair which cover her face, exposing her bright blue, doe-like eyes, "Yeah."

I take a second to stare into them. I could so easily get lost in them forever and I would not complain. Those blue orbs which show me the inner most part of her soul, her thoughts, her feelings, her desires. They don't deceive or lie, they expose her, lay her out bare for my perusal. They shine and glisten in the dim flickering light.

"Thanks for doing this. You didn't have to."

Max turns over to face me, her body twisting and turning, "I didn't have to, but I wanted to," her lip quirks up in amusement, "I wouldn't be much of a fan if I let you suffer now, would I?"

 _Fan… is that what this is?_

"A fan, huh?" I can hear my voice waver, a lump beginning to form in my throat. I turn my head away from her slightly, those mesmerizing eyes now replaced by a red checked duvet, "Do you think that's all you are to me?"

 _Doesn't she get it? I thought I had made it obvious. Maybe… maybe she gets it, but she's not interested._

I lift my head up. Her lips are parted slightly more than they usually are, exposing her teeth. Her brows are furrowed, expressing her confusion. Her eyes show uncertainty and worry. My body turns slightly inward, hugging myself, my eyes focus on the duvet. I try to speak, but it comes out as little more than a whisper, "I wouldn't just let any old fan into my house and my bed. I'm kind of hurt you would suggest that," my eyes meet hers. I put all the emotion I am feeling into that single gaze, "You mean more to me than that."

Her mouth opens in shock, her eyebrows raised as she stutters and trips over her words, "I… you…"

A heavy silence hangs over us for a second. Her mouth closes, a contemplative expression on her face. Her teeth pull at her lip as she worries it. A warm gush of air escapes her mouth, grazing my skin. The bed dips and suddenly I am face to face with her. I haven't seen her face this close up for any prolonged period of time before. I examine every inch. Freckles cover her nose and cheeks, like small constellations. From this close, it becomes apparent that there are more than I could ever hope of counting. Each time I think I have them all, another becomes visible.

"Sorry. I'm… I'm still not used to the idea of someone actually wanting to spend time with me to be honest."

I take her hand in mine and explore, plotting out my journey, marking the terrain. My fingers brush over hers, finding hard calluses have formed, the mountains of her skin. Small hairs are visible in the dingy light. They cover her scar covered skin. Small cuts and bruises line the back of her palm, scarring the landscape. The cuts are at varying stages. One appears fairly fresh, just recently made by some careless action, others have hardened and could have been there for several weeks, maybe months. The bruises are an array of colors, from yellow to purple. The hand flinches slightly when my fingers find them.

 _They should not be there, but here they are._

Her nails are short, possibly through biting. Her hand quivers slightly in mine as I carefully turn it over. Blue and violet rivers can be seen through the translucent skin of this unknown territory. They interconnect, forming a network with no start or end. I trace my finger down one of them to her wrist and feel a pulsating thump against my fingertips. I place my fingers over it, counting the beats. It sooths me, calms my fears. My fingers stumble across a few bands. I gently play with them, lightly pulling, stretching them, teasing them out of their intended shape only to watch them recoil and reform.

I close my eyes momentarily, then turn my attention to her face, "You should. I mean, you're smart, talented and hella sexy. Why wouldn't anyone want to spend time with you?"

She looks taken aback for a few seconds, then raises an eyebrow, "Sexy, huh?"

I squeeze her hand, "Damn right! You just need to start believing in yourself."

Max's lip quirks upwards into a smile. Her lips are pale, almost ghostly. Her teeth graze them, gently pulling them back and then releasing them, "Let's get those bandages changed."

I feel myself smile cheekily, "Be gentle with me."

She taps my nose with her right index finger, "I can't make any promises."

 _It looks like I've uncovered another side of Max today. Even though being shot sucks, it's nice to be able to spend some time with her._

* * *

"I made you some soup," she brings it over on a tray and places it on the bedside table.

I grin at her cheekily, "Can you blow on it for me? You might also have to feed me. I don't know if I have the strength."

Max shakes her head smiling, "You're loving this aren't you?"

 _How could I not be? Any time I spend with you would be time that I love. Whatever we were doing, wherever we were. Even if we were in the worst possible situation, it would just be better because you were here._

This is what I want to say. I want to tell her that she is special. I know we haven't known each other too long, but I feel such a strong emotional connection with her. Life is too short to not take chances and be happy with the ones you care for. However, my mouth betrays my mind, "Maybe. It gives me a good chance to see that ass in action."

She turns to go and get a spoon. As she walks away, I slap her ass. She turns around and looks at me in surprise, touching the spot I slapped, "I think being sick makes you more crazy than usual."

I lean back on the bed, placing my hands behind my head. I stare up at the ceiling, a view I have become accustomed to over the past few days. Another view I have grown used to seeing lot is Max's sleeping face. The first day, she settled down on the couch to sleep. She woke up in the middle of the night to find me beside her. She scolded me, telling me that I should not be moving and that I could have fallen and aggravated the wound. I told her that I couldn't sleep on my own. Eventually, she gave in and slept beside me. She mutters gently while in the land of dreams. I try to decipher what she says, but I am rarely successful. During the night, she always manages to find her way closer to me. I never want the dreams to take over when the darkness engulfs me, because she is much better than anything I could ever dream.

I turn my head slightly in her direction, "Well, I've been pumped full of drugs and shit. Not that I wouldn't do this stuff normally."

She grabs a chair and pulls it towards the bed. She takes the spoon in her hand, dips it in the soup, blows on it and places it near my mouth. I take the spoon between my teeth and eat the soup as she chuckles, "Maybe one day I'll do it to you. I bet you'd like that, huh?" she carefully removes the spoon and goes to dip it back into the bowl.

Max has definitely become more comfortable with me recently. I am starting to discover her traits and what she would call flaws, things like geeking out over her interests. She suddenly stops herself half way through, apologizes and goes silent. I wonder if people have told her she talks too much before. She looks so dejected whenever she stops, her head bows and she bites her lip, preventing the words from escaping her head. When I realized this, the next time she stopped I told her to continue. She was so shocked, but I could see a glint in her eyes and she beamed at me. Her voice washed over me, imparting her secrets and fears.

 _I could never see her as flawed. Every part of her is perfect._

A whisper passes my lips, "Maybe I would."

She glances at me, but doesn't say a word. I'm not sure if she heard or not.

* * *

"You need to take a bath. You haven't had one in a week," Max stands there, shampoo and a box in her hand. The box contains some sort of bath crystals that are supposed to help with my wound. Kate brought them round a few days ago.

"Don't wanna."

Max sighs and runs her hand through her brown, mid-length hair, "You're not the one who has to lay beside you at night. Plus, you've been wearing the same clothes for three days now. Aren't you getting itchy?"

I pout, my arms crossed. The rebel in me is playing Max up something wicked. I'm also pretty bummed that I can't move around. I'm going stir crazy, but my side still hurts. I've hobbled round the flat a bit, but I want to go and play. Most people would have probably strangled me by now. Max has the patience of a saint.

"Chloe, please, for me," her eyes beg and plead with me.

 _How can I resist when she puts it like that?_

"Ok. Only because you begged. You'll have to help me. I still can't move well. I can't really get undressed properly."

Max turns bright red, "H-help you…?"

 _I just love fucking with her._

I'm about to tell her that I'm joking, but she says something I didn't expect, "O-okay… if… if you need help…"

 _I guess it would be a bit easier if I had someone to help…_

"Perv."

She snaps her head towards me with a light blush forming on her cheeks, "Hey, you were the one who suggested it."

She helps me up out of bed, putting my arm around her shoulder. We walk a few paces towards the small bathroom. She opens the door and sits me on the toilet. She turns on the hot tap. The water pours from it, filling the air with steam. Max carefully inspects the box. She opens it and pours some of the blue crystals into her hand. She tips a few back into the box. Seemingly satisfied, she lets them fall into the water. She stirs it with her hand, but immediately withdraws her hand, "Ouch."

"The waters hot, you know."

Max shakes her hand vigorously and examines the red mark now forming on her skin, "Thanks. I figured that out."

She shuts off the tap and adds some cold water before tentatively testing the water again. She immerses her hand in it and moves her arm, ensuring the crystals have all dissolved. She turns back to me and swallows, "Right, let's get you in there."

Max refuses to look at me while she helps me get undressed. She glances up at me a few times. As she gets to my bare skin, she closes her eyes and fumbles. Her hands brush against my chest.

"Oh, thanks for the morning grope."

She sounds flustered, her breathing heavier than usual, "I didn't mean to, it's not easy doing this with my eyes closed," her fingers clumsily touch my skin.

"You can open them, I don't mind."

I hear her sigh, "No, I won't invade your privacy more than I need to."

 _Maybe I want you to._

Eventually after some time, I am finally ready to take my bath. Max turns to exit, but I lean my naked body against her back, my exposed skin rubbing against her. I lean in close to whisper in her ear, "Wanna join me? I get lonely in the tub too."

She pauses for a moment, "Maybe."

I release my hold on Max slightly. That one word made my entire body freeze. She uses this chance to twist out of my hold and dart out of the room. I hear the door lock.

"Max!"

I hear a triumphant voice from the other side of the door, "I'm not letting you out of there until you are clean."

 _Damn it, she played me. But was she just saying it to get me off her back? I can't tell. I guess I'll just have to keep trying._

* * *

A few days later, I am up and about. It still hurts a little bit, but I can move around without it feeling like my side is getting ripped apart. Currently, I am sat down on the couch, watching TV with Max and eating pasta when I hear a knock at the door.

 _No-one usually comes here, apart from Victoria and Kate, and they usually call ahead. Maybe I should just ignore them._

I turn my attention back to the screen, taking my fork and bring it to my lips.

 _Max really is getting good at this whole cooking gig. Props to her. I'll have to repay her somehow._

Another knock. Max sighs and looks at me, "I think they aren't going away. You'd better answer it before they bash the door down."

 _I guess Max is right. I would like to keep my door intact._

"Alright, hold on a damn minute. Jeez," I untangle myself from Max and get up off the couch. I pace towards the wooden door, my hand hovering over the handle before I clasp it and pull it open. My brain whirs, unable register the sight I see before me.

 _This… has to be a dream, right?_

A woman stands in front of me. She wears a dirty, slightly damp red flannel shirt with ripped black jeans and worn muddy converses. Her pale skin is covered in cuts and scars. Blood trickles from a few of the wounds and drips onto the floor. Her long blonde hair is tangled and knotted, bits of leaves and twig stick out of it. She has a huge purple bruise on her cheek. Dark circles have formed under her hazel eyes… eyes I have stared into a thousand times, now they have lost their spark.

I bring my hand to my mouth and stare at her in disbelief as Rachel Amber offers me a small smile, "Hey Priceless. I'm home."

* * *

 **Enter Rachel (finally). Now let's get some of that Amberpricefield goodness going. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time.**


	6. Wash Away The Pain Of Yesterday

**Hey guys, welcome back. This one will have a bit of sad backstory, with very brief mentions of attempted suicide, nothing detailed at all. Also, all the usual fun interactions of course.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 _Is this… is this real?_

I reach out and touch her face. She closes her eyes momentarily and leans into my touch. My hand traces her features. My fingers brush against the huge bruise on her cheek. Her face contorts in pain for a second.

'Rachel?'

Her hazel eyes flicker open.

'Who else could it be?'

 _This has to be real. I have so many questions to ask her._

'What…how…?'

A soft chuckle penetrates the air.

'I never thought I would see the day you were speechless.'

Her voice sounds tired. She is the shell of her former self. I stare at the battered and broken women before me. I hear footsteps behind me and a quiet anxious voice reaches my ears.

'Chloe, you ok?'

I glance by my side to see Max's worried face looking up at me. She turns her head and looks at Rachel. A spark of recognition in her eyes.

'Wait… this is Rachel, the one you told me about?'

'Yeah.'

Max looks slightly confused, her brow furrowed. She really examines Rachel.

'She's the one who saved me from that gang. I thought it was just a coincidence…'

Rachel's eyes light up.

'Max. Fancy seeing you here. Glad to see you're doing well.'

 _Wait…Max knows Rachel. I think I need to sit down and work everything out._

I stand aside and motion inside.

'I think you need to come in and we all need to have a chat.'

We all step inside and I close the door. Rachel and I sit down on the couch. Max, being the only person without injuries, goes over to one of the cupboards and gets out the remainder of our medical supplies. She walks back over and pulls up a small table and balances a bowl of warm water on it. Max pulls up a chair in front of Rachel.

'Give me your arm, Rachel.'

Rachel holds out her arm. Max takes her arm carefully in her hand and begins to clean her up, gently dabbing at the cuts and scrapes. Rachel smirks at Max, her eyes full of mischief.

'Oh Max, you do have a very gentle touch.'

I sit and stare in disbelief.

 _Where has she been? She just turned up out of the blue. I'm still trying to process all this._

'Where have you been? You've been gone for six months.'

Rachel flinches a bit as Max cleans her wounds.

'I had to keep moving. I was on the run.'

 _Huh?_

'On the run?'

Rachel stares at me intently.

'That bastard is still out there Chloe.'

My stomach drops. Fear builds up inside me.

'What? No…no…that can't be…'

Rachel nods solemnly. Her face is gaunt, her skin is pale and her eyes dark. I barely recognise her in this moment.

'He's been chasing me for the past six months. I've only just managed to escape, or at least for now.'

Her eyes become downcast.

'I'm sorry I disappeared, I just didn't want to get you involved.'

 _What the fuck? That's why she left._

I cover my eyes with my hand and shake my head. My voice wavers.

'You fucking idiot. We're in this together. I thought you'd abandoned me.'

Tears sting my eyes, threatening to fall. My breath is shaky and uneven. I feel a slight pressure on my knee. I uncover my eyes and see her hand on my knee.

'I could never do that, Priceless.'

She gives me a small smile, one I return. The twinkle in her eyes returns for a brief moment.

 _I've missed this smile. Whenever I was in a really bad space, I always used to imagine that smile. It was just enough to get me through. In this moment, I see the ghost of the girl I know. The one with bright eyes and a cheerful smile._

I compose myself, taking a few deep breaths.

'Anyway, Max you said Rachel saved you.'

Max nods, carefully cleaning the blood and dirt off of Rachel's face.

'Yeah. She was the one who stopped that gang from pulverising me and then she took care of me for a while. I guess I'm returning the favour now.'

Rachel catches Max's eye and gives her a lop-sided grin.

'I can think of better ways for you to…'

She leans in closer to Max's face and whispers seductively.

'…repay me.'

Max goes bright red and looks at the floor for a moment.

 _Rachel just can't help herself. Not that I blame her. Max is really something else._

Rachel, satisfied that she has made Max blush enough, leans back slightly and looks to me.

'I was running and dashed into an alleyway. I saw Max surrounded by all those guys and couldn't just walk on by. I worked my magic on them and saved her.'

 _Rachel always was an enigma. She can manipulate and charm anyone into doing anything she wanted. She can blend in with any group with ease. It's a bit scary to think about the power she has over people._

'How long ago was it?'

Max leaves to get a clean bowl of warm water. Rachel shifts slightly, inspecting her arm.

'Around a month ago. I used one of our old hide outs to keep her. She was in a really bad state.'

I think back to how panicked Max was when I got shot. She probably remembered how she felt from that time. Max looks over to us.

'I really thought I was going to die. It hurt so much.'

 _I bet she was scared. It's a good thing Rachel was there._

Rachel turns to Max, raising her voice slightly so Max can hear.

'I thought you weren't going to make it to be honest. You were bleeding out all over the place. Speaking of bleeding out, sorry about the carpet.'

She gestures to the small red stains on the carpet. I shrug.

'At least it'll scare off unwanted guests.'

Rachel chuckles.

'That is true.'

Max returns with the clean bowl and continues to clean her up, then applies the various band aids and bandages where necessary. She carefully places them over Rachel's cuts and scars.

 _Max is so gentle with everyone._

I watch her as she diligently works, focusing hard on the task at hand. Her tongue is sticking out a bit in concentration. She leans back and inspects Rachel, making sure she has got everything. Max looks at Rachel's cheek and sighs.

'I don't think there is much I can do about the bruise I'm afraid.'

Rachel gets up and ambles over to the small mirror in the bathroom. She hesitantly touches the bruise with her fingertips, immediately recoiling them.

'That bastard got me good. What an arsehole. You should never hit a model in the face. Even he should know that.'

The bruise has turned purple, with a yellow tint. She sighs.

'Maybe I can cover it up…'

She turns back to face us, her hands behind her back, gently swaying on the spot.

'So…what happens now?'

 _Good question._

'Well, we were planning to get the old gang together and… and try to find you, but we don't have to do that now.'

She raises an eyebrow.

'Mind if I tag along?'

 _Just like the good old days._

'I wouldn't have it without you.'

Rachel stands in front of us. She scans the area.

'Have you even moved Max into this place properly?'

Max smiles, looking over to me. Her eyes sparkle with amusement, her voice light.

'Well, I've been pre-occupied with looking after someone. Chloe managed to get shot in our first job.'

Rachel chuckles.

'Sounds about right.'

'Hey!'

I throw a pillow off the couch over at her. She artfully dodges out of the way.

'You have to wake up earlier than that to get the better of me, Priceless. What are we waiting for? Let's go grab your stuff, Max.'

…

We pull up near a small run-down brick house on the outskirts of town. It's near the forest. We walk up to the off white door, paint peeling from it exposing the wood underneath, and Max knocks. I hear footsteps come up to the door and it opens. A fairly tall man with a big bushy brown beard and short hair answers the door. He wears a brown and yellow checked shirt with a white under top, along with blue jeans and trainers. He smiles when he sees Max, his warm brown eyes gentle and full of joy.

'Max.'

He takes her in his arms and lifts her off the floor in a bone crushing hug.

'I missed you.'

A small smile forms on Max's face.

'Dad you're squishing me.'

He puts her down and calls back into the house.

'Vanessa, it's Max.'

A woman, who looks very much like Max, runs up to her and squeezes her just as hard as Max's Dad did.

'Oh honey.'

 _I'm kind of jealous of Max. Her family seems to really care about her. It's not that mom doesn't care about me, but ever since Dad died, we've found it hard to get along. When David entered the picture, there was no hope. Part of that was my fault though. I'm sure Rachel feels the same as I do._

Max's mom pulls away.

'Mom. I've come to take some of my stuff. I found a place. These are the people I'll be sharing with.'

Max's mom and dad smile at us benevolently.

'Well, how do you girls do? I'm Vanessa and this is my husband Ryan.'

Ryan nods in recognition.

'It's nice to meet you. I'm Chloe and this is Rachel.'

Vanessa waves us on inside.

'Come in. We don't want to leave you out in the cold. I'll get the kettle on. You girls can go on up to Max's room. There are some boxes in the hallway.'

We step inside. The inside of the house is as battered as the outside. A lot of work needs doing to this place and it's hella cold in here. There aren't a lot of things here. A table is placed against the wall in the hallway, a vase with some yellow flowers on top of it. A few pictures line the hallway of Max and her family. We walk up the creaky stairs to Max's room. She opens the door and we step inside. It is a small room covered in posters, post-it notes and polaroids. A guitar is propped up by her bed and a camera sits on a small table beside the bed. A small shelf on the wall is stacked full of magazines and newspaper clippings, along with a couple of action figures. A calendar hangs from the wall.

 _That must be the one she was talking about before. I'm impressed by the amount of stuff she has managed to cram into this tiny space._

I pick up one of the magazines and see myself on the front cover. This was the one where they did an interview. Underneath is the one Rachel featured in. I place the magazine back on the pile and take one of the action figures.

 _I forgot they did these._

This one is of Rachel in all her glory.

'Hey Rach.'

I hold it up for her to see.

'I remember this one.'

She looks at it.

'I would say it's like looking in a mirror, but I look like shit right now.'

She places it back on the shelf. I turn to see Max watching us.

'Damn Max, you really do have a lot of merchandise.'

Max blushes.

'Yeah. This is kind of embarrassing.'

Rachel puts an arm around Max, causing Max to fidget slightly.

'I think it's awesome.'

Max shakes her head in disbelief.

'I still can't believe you two are in my room. It's crazy. I'm still trying to get my head around it to be honest.'

Rachel leans closer to her.

'Well, get used to it, girl. We'll be spending a lot more time together.'

Max has the dorkiest grin on her face right now.

 _She is so fangirling right now. Her eyes show that. She's such a nerd, but then nerds are hot._

We start to box up Max's stuff. It doesn't take us long. Max stands in her now empty room. We head on downstairs and pack the car.

'Do you girls want a drink?'

 _Why not?_

'I won't turn one down, thank you.'

We all sit in the kitchen around a small wooden table. Max brings a few chairs from the room next door. Max's mom brings over some coffee and sits down. She passes the drinks out and places a plate of chocolate biscuits on the table. Max reaches out and takes the plate, offering it to both Rachel and I. We gladly take one.

'So, where are you guys living?'

Max dunks the biscuit in her coffee.

'In the centre of town in a small apartment.'

She is about to take a bite, but it falls off into her cup. We all sit there, staring at Max for a moment, and then burst out laughing. Rachel pats Max on the back.

'Way to go, Max.'

'She really is her mother's daughter.'

When we have all finally composed ourselves, I take a sip of the steaming coffee. The heat travels down my throat. I eat part of the biscuit, with more success than Max. Max's mom turns to me and Rachel.

'I assume you two are in the same line of work as Max.'

Rachel nods.

'We are.'

Ryan sighs in relief, running a hand through his short hair.

'At least you guys understand then.'

'We do all too well. You have to do whatever you have to do to survive.'

Vanessa gives us a sad smile.

'Yeah. Max really is a life saver. We don't want her to have to do this…'

Max cuts in, waving her hand dismissively at them.

'Hey, I said its fine. You two worry too much.'

Ryan ruffles Max's hair.

'Maybe one day you won't have to do this anymore. Your mother and I are trying hard to sort us out.'

'I know.'

 _This is really strange for me. I'm not used to this family setting._

Ryan turns to us, looking conflicted. He closes his eyes briefly, balancing his chin on his hands.

'Do you mind if we ask how you got into it?'

 _It's only natural he would ask. He's just looking out for his daughter._

I swirl the remainder of my drink, staring at the dregs left in the bottom.

'Well, when I was about thirteen, my dad died. We ran into a lot of money problems. My mom remarried and I didn't get on well with my step-dad, so I ran away. Then I met Rachel and we started working together. I… uh… haven't been back since. I haven't worked up the courage.'

 _I'm such a coward._

Vanessa gives me a sympathetic look.

'I hope you do soon. I'm sure your mom misses you.'

 _The longer I leave it, the harder it'll get. It's already been such a long time. I do miss her a lot. Is it too late to reconnect?_

'Yeah. Maybe soon.'

Ryan strokes his beard, closing his eyes for a moment. He then looks over at Rachel.

'How about you, Rachel?'

 _If you thought my story was sad, it's nothing on Rachel's. She wasn't given the best hand in life._

She takes a sip of her coffee, gathering her thoughts. The steam from the mug billows around her, engulfing her.

'When I was sixteen my parents kicked me out. I was a bit of a wild child. Parties, drugs, sex, rock and roll. All that stuff. They couldn't handle it anymore, so they sent me packing.'

Vanessa and Ryan look horrified. Their jaws drop and eyebrows raise. Vanessa brings her hand to her mouth, her voice quiet and soft.

'That's horrible. I'm so sorry.'

Ryan's voice is gruff and angry. His face crumples up slightly into an expression of rage.

'How could anyone do that to their child? I will never get some people.'

Rachel shrugs.

'They aren't worth thinking about.'

She runs her finger in circles on the table and closes her hazel eyes, reliving her past.

'Anyway, I was homeless for a long time. I ended up drinking and smoking away whatever money I managed to scrounge up. I got involved in a lot of sketchy deals. It all got too much for me to handle.'

She opens her eyes and stares out of the small window overlooking an unkempt back yard. There is a swing, vines creep their way up the poles, bright red flowers bloom on it. A battered and weathered fence separates the back yard from the outside world. The grass is overgrown, dandelions poke through it. As the wind blows, the seeds flutter around, taken off to new soil, the yellow flowers like rays of pure sunlight. A small shed sits there, its wooden frame broken in places, showing its age. As the sunlight seeps through the dirty window, dust particles in the air are illuminated. They dance around, forming patterns.

 _I know this next part is painful for her. She doesn't have to tell it, but she always does. She doesn't want the memory to have any hold over her._

She leans her head on her hand. Her voice becomes lower and quieter, her eyes gazing off outside into the distance.

'One day I thought of… ending it all. I wasn't living anyway, not really. Half the time I was in a drunken state or a drug induced nightmare. I went to the edge of a bridge and…'

She exhales shakily.

'…just as I was about to jump, someone pulled me back. She refused to let me go and basically dragged me all the way back to her place. I was too tired and worn down to protest.'

She breaks out of her trance and looks at Max.

'That's where Kate and Victoria come in by the way. Kate was the one who stopped me. She said she had been in a similar situation and sort of knew how I felt. Anyway, they took me in, cleaned me up and we ended up working together.'

Ryan and Vanessa glance at each other. Vanessa puts a hand on mine and Rachel's hand.

'Well, both of you are welcome here whenever you like.'

Ryan nods in agreement.

'Anytime you want.'

Rachel smiles brightly at them.

'Thanks. Anyway, we won't hold you up. Thanks for the coffee and biscuit.'

'You are very welcome.'

We stand up and walk over to the door. Vanessa gives us all a big hug, one Ryan also joins in on.

 _It feels nice to experience this, even if it's just for a moment._

'It was lovely meeting you two.'

'It was great meeting you guys too. Don't worry, we'll take good care of Max.'

They wave us off as we get in the car and drive away.

…

I place the boxes in the flat. Max looks around the room and sighs.

'I have no idea where I'm going to put all this stuff.'

'We'll find room.'

Rachel looks over to the bedroom.

'It's going to get a bit crowded in here.'

 _She's right. Three people is a bit of a squeeze, but we'll manage._

'If we move some stuff around, it'll be fine.'

Rachel glances at Max and I.

'I don't mind taking the floor.'

Max shakes her head.

'I don't want anyone sleeping on the floor. I'm surprised I haven't caught anything just by looking at that carpet.'

I think for a moment.

'We can just get a bigger bed and share. Max and I have been sleeping together for a while now and it's fine.'

Rachel raises an eyebrow, curiously.

'"Sleeping together", huh?'

 _I know what she is thinking._

'Yeah, just sleeping.'

Rachel shrugs, looking disappointed.

'Shame. You really are losing you're touch, Chloe.'

 _Why does she have to make everything into a competition?_

'What's that supposed to mean?'

She holds her hands up defensively.

'Nothing. I'm not trying to challenge you or anything. Just checking. Wanted to see if I could get in on that action.'

Rachel winks at Max.

'I'll be gentle with you.'

Max smiles.

'You'd better be.'

This sudden transformation shocks me. Even Max herself looks stunned as she hears the words that have come from her mouth.

 _What happened to the shy hipster I first met? Obviously my relentless flirting is starting to get through to her._

Rachel's lips move upwards into a grin.

'Oh, someone came to play.'

I shake my head, suppressing a smile.

'God, Rachel. Can't you keep it in your pants for five minutes?'

Rachel clings onto Max, staring at me tauntingly, the familiar challenging glint in her eyes.

'Aw, are you jealous, Priceless? Afraid I'll steal Max away from you? If Max wasn't so cute then I might be able to.'

She nuzzles into Max's neck. Max still blushes, but she no longer looks as nervous as usual.

 _Progress is progress. She still isn't totally used to this kind of affection, but I can tell she is slowly getting there. With both Rachel and I around, it won't be long before Max is giving out as good as she is getting. I've already started to see her more daring side recently._

'I'm gonna pee.'

Rachel laughs.

'Too much info, Priceless.'

…

 **Max's POV**

 _Well, today has been eventful._

Rachel lets go of me and flops down on the couch. She turns her head to face me.

'I didn't think our paths would ever cross again. So, where did Chloe find you?'

I think back to the first day I met Chloe. Dog I was so embarrassing. I asked for an autograph half way through a bank raid.

'I was robbing a bank, so was she.'

Rachel's face becomes stoic, her eyes difficult to read. She closes her eyes and sighs. She mutters something that sounds like, 'I guess Chloe hasn't told you yet.'

 _What is she going on about?_

'Told me what?'

She cracks her knuckles and sinks further into the couch.

'That's something you'll have to ask Chloe, not me.'

I hear the toilet flush, water flow and the door open. Chloe comes over and freezes when she sees us.

'Hey guys, how's it… it's a bit tense in here.'

 _I need to know what's going on, if Chloe is ready to tell me. It seems important._

I clear my throat.

'Is there something you want to tell me, Chloe?'

Chloe raises an eyebrow in confusion.

'What kind of thing?'

 _That's a good question._

'I don't know.'

Chloe glances at Rachel, who is sat there absentmindedly examining her nails.

'What's Rachel been saying?'

Rachel turns her eyes to Chloe, sending some sort of secret message to Chloe.

'I haven't said anything, Priceless. I'm leaving that to you if and when you are ready. But I personally think Max is going to be fine with it.'

Chloe looks over at Rachel. She opens her mouth in protest, but no words come out. Chloe closes her mouth and looks conflicted. She sighs and looks at me.

'Look, I… was going to tell you soon, Max. It's just… I don't know.'

 _I get it. I understand what it's like to have trouble saying things. All the doubt start to gnaw away at you and the longer you wait, the harder it gets. Even if you know the person you are going to tell isn't a complete arsehole and will accept it, it can still be hard. You can never be too sure._

Chloe gently taps her fingers on her leg.

'I was just building myself up, I guess. Now is as good a time as any to tell you.'

Chloe sits down on the couch with Rachel.

'Budge up a bit so Max can get on too.'

Rachel shifts. Chloe takes my hands and guides me onto the couch. She plays with my hands for a moment, trying to compose her thoughts. She looks at me, determination in her vibrant blue eyes.

'Max, I use 'they' as my pronoun. I personally don't really like labels, so I couldn't tell you which part of the non-binary I fit in. I'm cool with others using them, but I don't really want to put myself in a box, you know. I just know that 'she' isn't the right pronoun for me.'

Chloe worries their lip between their teeth.

'This…this doesn't change who I am, but I just wanted to tell you.'

 _Of course it doesn't. Chloe is Chloe, the lovable puckish rogue who has a tendency to flirt relentlessly and blow up everything within a five metre radius. Nothing could ever change that._

I shake my head.

 _Chloe must have been so worried._

I squeeze Chloe's hand.

'Chloe, I'm not mad or anything. Quite the opposite. Now I respect you even more. It takes a strong person to live their life against the norm. It's not like you had to tell me if you didn't want to. It's entirely up to you who you tell. But I am glad that I know the right pronouns to use. I would have felt like such an ass using the wrong ones around you and for you to feel invalidated.'

Chloe looks down to their feet.

'Sorry. I feel like such an idiot now.'

 _There is no need to be sorry, Chloe. You've done nothing wrong._

I place my hand on Chloe's face. They look up at me, their eyes filled with hesitation and worry.

 _Was it eating away at you, Chloe? Sometimes when I looked at you, I could see something was worrying you. I nearly asked, but then I thought you would tell me when you were ready._

I rub Chloe's face with my thumb.

'Don't be sorry. You've done nothing wrong at all. It's not a problem. I just want to make you feel comfortable and safe. Ok?'

Chloe offers me a small smile and leans into my touch slightly. They close their eyes and exhale.

'Yeah.'

 _There's no need for people to be arseholes about it. It's not hard to use the right pronouns._

Rachel comes over and wraps her arms around us, giving us a huge hug.

'See Priceless, I told you Max would be ok with it. There is no reason for anyone not to be if they are decent human beings. You are Chloe Price, badass extraordinaire.'

We sit there for a few moments, just enjoying the moment. Rachel motions over to the bed with her head.

'I think we all need a major bed cuddling session, don't you?'

We all pile on the bed, squeezing in so we all fit. Chloe grabs a blanket from the bottom of the bed and covers us. We lay there and talk about our pasts, present and future. About faraway lands and adventures. Reconnecting and making new connections with each other.

By 2am, the flat is silent, apart from the sound of breathing, mumbling, light snoring and shuffling.

* * *

 **Guys, with things like gender and sexuality, you don't ever have to tell anyone if you don't want to. There is nothing saying you have to. If you want to, then go ahead, but don't feel forced into doing it if you aren't comfortable or in a safe space.**

 **It doesn't change who you are as a person. You are you and that's all there is to it. Anyone who treats you differently because of it doesn't deserve your time or energy and will be a toxic people for you to hang around with. It** **DOESN'T** **make you strange or weird or a freak or anything else like that. It's perfectly fine to be however you are and feel what you feel. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.**

 **Equally, just use the right pronouns. It really isn't hard. If someone has told you they use 'they' or any other variation, be respectful and use it. Don't go out of your way to be a complete moron.**

 **Regarding labels, labels are great if they work for you, but you don't have to use them. It's entirely up to you whether you choose to label yourself or not. I personally am not a huge fan of them. I don't feel like you should have to define yourself, you are you and how you identify doesn't change that. Having said this, I totally get why people use them. I just think they over-simplify everything and are more for the benefit of others, but again, that is just for me personally. You don't have to fit in a category. You can completely disagree with me and that's absolutely fine. It's perfectly fine to use them or to not use them, it's all down to your personal choice.**

 **Have a great day out there guys and see you next time.**


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